Florida Bats.

Florida is fortunate to have seventeen (17) different bat species that are either year round or seasonal residents. This remarkable group of animals serve a vital role in Florida's ecosystems. Bats come out only at night in search of dinner: insects. Bats are important natural enemies of night-flying insects. For example, a single little brown bat can catch 1,200 mosquitoes-sized insects in just one hour! However, bats are actually more benign to humans than squirrels. Perhaps their biggest danger lies in the fact that they can carry rabies. They are highly reclusive creatures, therefore, any bat that lets you get close enough to touch it is likely to be sick or injured. Bats are exceptionally vulnerable to extinction; partly because they are the slowest reproducing mammals on earth for their size. Most bats produce only one young annually. Fewer bats mean greater demand for chemical pesticides and unstable ecosystems of other animal and plant species.

Eastern Red Bat

Eastern Red bats are foliage roosters, usually hanging by one foot, giving them the appearance of a dead leaf. They are almost fully furred and can respond to cold temperature by increasing their metabolism. Predators include many types of birds. Red bats commonly feed beneath street lights, on moths, crickets, flies, mosquitos, true bugs, beetles, cicadas and other insects. Eastern red bats mate in flight during August and September, the sperm is stored over winter, and females give birth to 1-4 babies during the late spring or early fall. Weight 9-15 grams, wingspan 28-33 centimeters Top

Little Brown Bat

The little brown bat inhabits buildings during the summer and in the winter hibernates in caves and mines. The females form colonies of hundreds or thousands, usually close to a lake or stream. They prefer to forage over water but will forage among trees. Little browns eat gnats, crane flies, beetles, wasps and moths. Insects are usually captured with a wing tip. Mating occurs in autumn and one baby is born in May through early July. The mother keeps the baby beneath a wing when at rest. Their life span may be more than 20 years. Weight 7-14 grams, wingspan 22-27 centimeters Top

Seminole Bat

Seminole bats are the most common bats seen flying in the evening throughout the United States. They fly during all seasons, even in mid winter. Their distribution coincides with Spanish moss where they most often roost. They also roost in loose bark and in caves. They wander extensively after young are weaned. Seminole bats consume true bugs, flies, mosquitos, beetles, crickets and other insects which are usually captured at canopy level. One to four babies are born during late spring or early summer. Weight 9-14 grams, wingspan 29-34 centimeters Top

Yellow Bat

Yellow bats typically inhabit wooded areas in the vicinity of permanent water. Their distribution coincides with Spanish moss where they often roost and bear their young. In some parts of Florida it is the most common bat. They are somewhat colonial, especially females during the nursing season. Northern yellow bats consume flies, mosquitos, beetles and other insects. Mating occurs in autumn and winter. Two to four babies are born in May or June. Weight 14-31 grams, wingspan 35-41 centimeters Top

Big Brown Bat

Big brown bats are familiar to more people in the United States than any other species of bat. They roost in man made structures in the summer and move to caves and mines to hibernate during the coldest weather. They consume beetles, ants, flies, mosquitos and other insects. Mating takes place in autumn and winter, females store the sperm and fertilization takes place in spring. In the eastern United States, big browns usually bear twins in early June. In the western United States usually only one baby is born each year. Weight 14-21 grams, wingspan 32-40 centimeters Top

Hoary Bat

The hoary bat is a large heavily furred bat that spends most of the time concealed in the foliage of trees. They are solitary roosters. Because they seldom enter houses and spend the daylight hours well concealed, they are rarely seen by humans. They eat Moths, mosquitos and other insects and may occasionally capture another bat as food. Hoary bats give birth to two young in mid-May through early July. The Hawaiian subspecies is the only bat found in Hawaii and is considered endangered. Weight 25-30 grams, wingspan 34-41 centimeters Top

Evening Bat

The evening bat is a small brown bat with black wings and a black muzzle. Evening bats are slightly smaller than the Mexican free tails. Evening bat colonies are small in size and in many cases evening bats are found living among free-tail bat colonies. Evening bats consume a variety of small insects. Evening bats mate in winter. They usually have twins but can have from 1-3 pups per liter. The pups are usually born late April to early May. Weight 7-14 grams, wingspan 26-29 centimeters Top

Free-Tailed Bat

This bat is called "free-tailed" because the end of the tail extends beyond the edge of the tail membrane. Free-tailed bats are medium sized with brownish gray fur. The free-tailed bat is the most abundant bat in Florida with very large colonies numbering from 50 to over 20,000 bats. Free-tails are strong fliers, they can fly as fast as 60 mph and can fly as high as 2 miles. Mexican free tails usually feed on small moths and beetles. Free-tailed bats normally mate from mid-February through late March. The females give birth to a single pup from May to June, sometimes as late as July or August. Weight 11-15 grams, wingspan 30-35 centimeters Top

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