Bats: Night Fliers
1When the sun goes down, bats wake up. During the day, these furry animals rest in quiet, dark places, such as caves, attics, and hollow trees. Many of them hang upside down by their feet while they sleep. Bats are nocturnal, which means they are active at night and sleep during the day.
2Bats are mammals, just like dogs, horses, and people. Mother bats feed their babies milk, and bats have fur on their bodies. But bats can do something no other mammal can do: they can truly fly. A bat's wing is made of thin skin stretched between very long finger bones.
3Many people think bats are blind, but that is a myth. Bats can see. Many bats also use echolocation to find their way in the dark. Echolocation is a way of finding objects by making sounds and listening for the echoes that bounce back. A bat makes high-pitched calls, and the echoes tell it where a tree, a wall, or a flying insect is.
4Bats are important helpers in nature. Many bats eat insects, such as moths and beetles, and some of these insects can harm farm crops. Other bats feed on fruit or on nectar from flowers. As these bats travel from plant to plant, they carry pollen and spread seeds, which helps new plants grow. For example, fruit bats in warm parts of the world drop seeds as they fly, and new trees can sprout from those seeds.
5When the weather turns cold, some bats fly to warmer places. Others find a sheltered spot, such as a cave, and hibernate. To hibernate means to rest in a deep, sleep-like state through the cold months. When spring comes, the bats wake up and begin hunting again.