Many animals get a bad rep as a result of old superstitions, their “displeasing” appearance, and mostly people’s ignorance. A couple of my friends and fellow bloggers have already touched on the dangers that cats, especially black cats, may face on Halloween, and where some of those superstitions come from. You can check them out here and here.
In honor of Halloween, and since cats have already been covered, I’d like to take a brief moment to mention another one of Halloween’s under– appreciated critters– the industrious, beneficial, and [yes, sometimes even] cute Chiroptera… the bat.
First and foremost, bats may seem scary, but not only are they relatively harmless (unless you’re a mosquito or something,) but they are actually beneficial.
Why are bats good?
Most U.S. bats eat insects. A single bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in one hour. Some bats in the Southwestern U.S. also pollinate plants like the big saguaro cactus while drinking nectar.
How many bats have rabies?
Fewer than 0.5% of bats have rabies. Since 1960 there have only been 40 reported cases of humans getting rabies from bats.
Do bats suck blood?
Few bats drink blood. However there are some Vampire Bats that live in Central America, South America and Mexico that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals like horses, cattle and birds.
Source: http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/bats/
Plus… come on now, tell me these little guys aren’t the tiniest bit cute!
squueeeeee!
I HEAR yooooou!
Terrifying, ain’t it?
alienredqueen 