REDHEADED BLACKBELT and Other Strange Connections
A-musing Being

Bat Bundle

bat

Bat

Daily Photo #19

While not the best photo, I couldn’t resist showing this tiny inhabitant of a derelict building on our property. I opened the door to the old home this morning with unusual difficulty. This little guy tumbled from some roost onto the floor. I did the best I could to take his picture, then, using an oak leaf as a scoop (he was incredibly light and small), carefully moved the tiny bat to a shelf high up where neither my cat nor dog could get him.

I’m concerned because I think it had been hibernating and was very slow to move and react. Some species of bats (Is this a California Myotis?) can starve to death if disturbed during hibernation. On the other hand, it is a lovely warm day and the swallows are certainly getting enough insects. Hopefully, he will, too, this evening. He did stretch and crawl around some after I moved him to the shelf.

Yes, I went right home and thoroughly washed my hands with soap and water even though I don’t think I actually touched him.

14 Responses to “Bat Bundle”

  1. You should try making a bat house and see how many bats move in.

    Fred Mangels - May 3, 2008 at 11:48 am

  2. A friend made us one a couple years ago and I still haven’t managed to get it put up. I can and do climb tall ladders but it’s not my favorite occupation.

    Kym - May 3, 2008 at 12:37 pm

  3. You are braver than I am. I would have screamed and turned around and left the building, never to return.

    bluelaker4 - May 3, 2008 at 4:17 pm

  4. It was soo tiny like a fluttering leaf falling.

    Kym - May 3, 2008 at 5:38 pm

  5. I love bats…they’re so cute and fluttery. We actually have bats in my little corner of Brooklyn. Weird, I know, but true.

    Dan - May 3, 2008 at 6:56 pm

  6. Bats, raccoons, pigeons, and rats–they actually do better around humans.

    Kym - May 3, 2008 at 8:20 pm

  7. Bats are so important to the balance of insects around us. You were good to protect this one. I’ve read that the bats in the eastern US are suffering from a fungus or other disease, and huge colonies are dying off. I love to see them flashing as shadows in the evening, if I’m lucky.

    USelaine - May 3, 2008 at 8:29 pm

  8. I hadn’t heard of this problem with fungus/disease. I hate to think of something killing off these wonderful swoopers in the dusky light.

    Kym - May 3, 2008 at 8:35 pm

  9. Yes, there was a big AP story about it a few weeks ago. It’s absolutely tragic - first bees, now bats. What have we done to our precious world?

    I’ve always loved bats. I still remember the very first time I ever saw one. I’ve “saved” a couple since moving out here. If I knew anything about such things, I’d say they’re one of my totem animals.

    Cristina - May 4, 2008 at 1:17 am

  10. Where is his bat cape?

    Kitty - May 4, 2008 at 1:48 am

  11. What a sweet little fellow! He probably was just napping.

    Carol - May 4, 2008 at 7:27 am

  12. The bees are coming back up here and the bats seem fine. I worry about the rest of the world though.

    I’m not sure if this little guy was wrapped in his cape hibernating or was just sleeping. He seemed awfully slow to respond.

    Kym - May 4, 2008 at 8:55 am

  13. Here’s a fascinating list of how much sleep some animals need:

    http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chasleep.html

    Bats are right up at the top, needing nearly 20 hours a day!

    USelaine - May 4, 2008 at 5:35 pm

  14. No wonder that poor critter could barely function. It was sleepy!

    Kym - May 4, 2008 at 5:49 pm

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