Bats of Georgia �& Around the World

BY: GEORGIA BAT WORKING GROUP

www.youtube.com

Vicky Beckham Smith

Species

• Order Chiroptera (which is Greek for ‘hand wing’)
• Second largest order of mammals (rodents are first)~ 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide
• 1,240 species worldwide
• Two types: Megabats and Microbats

www.dreslough.com

Megabats

Frugivores and nectivores

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Fruit is crushed and only the They have really long tongues to juices are consumed reach into the flowers to get the

nectar

hdwallpapersearly.com

feelgrafix.com

Megabats continued

• Largest type of bat
• Use their ears, nose, and eyes for flying and finding

prey

• Most roost in trees and shrubs though some use caves

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giggag.com

news.bbc.co.uk

Megabat Distribution

www.nhc.ed.ac.uk

Microbats

• Feed mainly on insects, but also hunt other small invertebrates, birds, other bats, lizards, frogs, fish, and some drink the blood from other animals
• All species in GA are insectivorous

Insectivorous and Carnivorous

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askmax.countrymax.com

www.bio.bris.ac.uk

Microbats Cont

• Make up 70% of all bat species
• Use echolocation (finding objects through echoed sound) to locate food
• Have excellent eyesight
• Roost in caves, trees, man-made

structures, and even in the leaf litter

on the ground, depending upon the

species of bat

commons.wikimedia.org

Microbat Distribution��Distribution: All over the world except� in the Arctic and Antarctic �16 species found in GA�

www.nhc.ed.ac.uk

Why are Microbats Important in Georgia?

• Eat about 300-500 mosquitoes and other insects in an hour
• Help control insect populations
• Save farmers tons of money each year in pesticide use and crop protection

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www.chrisandchrisbreakfree.com

Losing our Bats

• Deforestation
• Disturbance in Caves
• White Nose Syndrome (WNS)

www.ibtimes.com

www.fws.gov

www.youtube.com

What Can You Do to Help?

• Share with others what you have learned about bats
• Get together with friends or your boy scout or girl scout group and build a bat house in a state park or along a greenway with their permission.

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www.pinterest.com

www.batconservation.org

For more information, go to:��www.georgiawildlife.com�http://www.gabats.org��Or ��For classroom activities about bats to engage students: ��www.Pinetrest.com �www.batcon.org

Vicky Beckham Smith

Vicky Beckham Smith