Kids will be surprised to learn some amazing things about how bats behave, what they eat, how they socialize, and the important role they play in the environment. These flying critters can elicit a sense of fear when spotted above, but the reality is that they are far more beneficial than harmful. Understanding more about these fascinating creatures will help kids appreciate all of their contributions. Make sure to check out the best children's books about bats for even more information about these flying, nocturnal animals.
Amazing Bat Trivia for Kids
Bats are the only mammals that can fly.
One particular species, the Mexican free-tailed bat, can reach speeds of 100 miles per hour. People can often feel alarmed when bats swoop down while flying. They are feeding on the bugs in the air that are drawn to the carbon dioxide in human breathe. So kids can rest assure that the bats do not have any interest in harming them when flying close by.
Bats consume huge quantities of harmful insects.
They are extremely helpful in keeping the population of night-flying insects under control. They eat mosquitos, crickets, beetles, moths, leafhoppers, chinch bugs, and many other insects that are either harmful or just a nuisance. Some of these bugs spread disease to human beings and livestock. Others are serious agricultural threats.
Bats reduce the volume of pesticides required by farmers to protect crops.
Because bats do such a good job controlling the population of insects that destroy fruits, vegetables, and other crops, farmers can cut back on spraying their fields with pesticides. Some scientists have estimated that bats can take credit for saving the U.S. between $3.7 and $54 billion in pest control services every year. And, even more important than the money, the health benefits of fewer pesticides are immeasurable.
Bats and bees have a lot more in common than people realize.
When most people think about pollinators, they tend to credit bees with all of the heavy lifting. The reality is that more than 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers. Some examples include mango, durian, banana, avocado, guava, and agave. The term for pollination by bats is chiropterophily.
More than 1,400 species of bats have been documented around the world.
These extremely adaptable mammals can be found just about everywhere except in the most extreme locations, like deserts and polar regions. They drastically range in size, with the smallest species weighing less than a penny the largest species with wing span longer than six feet.
Intriguing Animal Facts For Kids