Bats of Tennessee

Bat Facts

• They're mammals, just like us. Bats give birth to live young and nurse them with milk. They're closer to humans than they are to birds.

• They won't fly into your hair. Bats use echolocation so precise they can dodge a single thread in complete darkness. Your hair is not a challenge for them.

• They're not blind, either. Bats actually have perfectly good eyesight they just don't need it at night.

• They're insect-eating machines. A single bat can eat over 3,000 insects in one night. That's roughly half its body weight. They are, in effect, a flying pest control service.

• They're ancient. Fossil bats date back 50 million years. They were catching insects before your favorite dinosaurs went extinct.

• Rabies? Rarely. Fewer than 40 people in the U.S. have contracted rabies from bats in the past 40 years. You're statistically more likely to be struck by lightning. Still, don't handle them.

• They're disappearing. Habitat loss, pesticides, and human disturbance have caused dramatic population declines. Which is all the more reason to put up a bat box. Check out the Bat Boxes page on our website for more information.