Bats are fantastic fliers. They are able to truly fly. Bats are the only
mammals able to have powered flight.
A bat's body is made for flight. The neck is short, the chest is large and
the stomach is narrow. In order to fly a body must have a wide, thin surface.
It also needs the power to push through the air.
The wings act like webbed hands. The bat can move its wings like we move our
fingers. Bats fold one of their wings to steer and brake.
Many bats can hover in one place like hummingbirds and helicopters.
Bats live in barns, attics, and caves. They like anyplace that is cold and
dark. They usually live in small groups. But their colony size can be in the
1,000's.
Tropical bats can transfer pollen as they fly from plant to plant. They
digest bananas, mangoes, guavas, and berries in 20 minutes. The seeds of the
fruit are dropped by the bats as they are flying. This reseeds large areas of
land.
There are people who think that bats are dirty and evil. Bats are very clean
and groom their wings and teeth daily. Some even believe that Count Dracula
turns into a bat. This is not true. Bats are very helpful to man and our
environment.