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2012 Is the International Year of the Bat - You Can Help a Bat

By Toni Weidman

Real Estate Agent with Sailwinds Realty

October 31, 2011 04:10 AM

It’s Halloween and we need to talk Bats-- you know those adorable little creatures that have a supporting role in the Halloween drama.

Did you know Bats are the only mammals that fly. Their wings are like our hands with longer fingers and 2012 Is the International Year of the Bat- You Can Help a Bat

2012 Is the International Year of the Bat- You Can Help a Bat

a thin skin between. Fossil records show that bats have been around for 65 million years. And, they are not blind, nor do they want to make a nest in your hair. Some species have “echolocation” or a type of sonar. These poor little guys have been maligned for centuries; and only three species eat blood- not human blood either. Bats are really timid creatures.

One little bat can eat up to 3,000 insects a night! They love mosquitoes and since we don’t, we should thank them for that. Not all bats eat insects, some are fruit & nectar eating, and they spread the seeds as they fly. Many trees depend upon bats for pollination.

Here in Florida as dusk settles upon us, we see bats zooming all over the back yard. Florida has 13 species of bats that are here year round or seasonally (just like snowbirds).

Unfortunately, bats are disappearing and need our help. The website for Bat Conservation International or BatCon is full of information about bats in all different locales.

And, if you want to get your kids interested in a great project to help bats, go to www.Bats4kids.org for all kinds of projects to get involved in.

We are in Real Estate, maybe we can make a bat house available to our furry friends. Let’s do what we can to help a bat.

Photo: Adam Mann, Environmental Solutions and Innovations

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2012 Is the International Year of the Bat - You Can Help a Bat

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Jeanne M. Gavish

Jeanne Gavish, Keller Williams Realty Elite Partners - Spring Hill, FL

Keller Williams Realty Elite Partners - CIPS,GRI,S

Hi Toni, I wonder if the mosquito control trucks have anything to do with the bats disappearing? I know it is a major killer of the dragon flys. I wish Mother Nature would be allowed to do her job. thanks for the great info and awareness.

Oct 31, 2011 04:14 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Toni, you have provided lots of information on bats. Can't say I have ever seen a live one, and that is ok with me! Happy Halloween!

Oct 31, 2011 04:14 AM

Debb Janes

Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA

Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Perfect post for Halloween Toni. I love it. One of my favorite exhibits at the Oregon Zoo is the bat cave. They really are fascinating little creatures.

Oct 31, 2011 04:14 AM

Jennifer Chiongbian

Specializing in all types of Manhattan apts & townhouses - Manhattan, NY

Real Estate Broker - NYC

They found a brand new bat species in Thailand very recently. These guys do get a bad rao because of that one bat that drinks human blood. But majority are harmless. Today is their day and let's celebrate and protect their lives!

Oct 31, 2011 04:21 AM

Belinda Spillman

Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO

Colorado Living!

Hey Toni, You did lots of research about bats. Lots of great bat facts.

Oct 31, 2011 04:24 AM

Kathy Toth

Ann Arbor Market Center Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts - Kathy Toth Team

Toni - Thanks for reminding me about those Scarry Bats. Right here in Michigan - Children and Adults love to visit

The Bat Zone! The Bat Zone teaches visitors about what bats eat and their behavior and myths. They have 150 bats to see. The fruit bats have wingspans anywhere from 4-6 feet.

Oct 31, 2011 04:26 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

John - thanks, I hope you do too. Loved your Pumpkin post.

Jeanne - I wondered that about a lot of creatures. Some of our birds are disappearing too.

Joan - they are so tiny that you and I probably terrify them.

Debb - I love to visit the bat exhibits; they are fascinating.

Jennifer - I would imagine that there are lots of species that haven't been named yet. All my research said that none actually drink human blood only cattle and small critters. But, maybe I didn't go far enough.

Belinda- thanks; bat facts it is.

Kathy - thanks for the additional link to info. I would love to see that too.

Oct 31, 2011 04:35 AM

Ron and Alexandra Seigel

Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA

Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Toni,

Thank you for bringing the plight of bats to our attention. I did not know they were disappearing and any creatures that eats mosquitoes should be celebrated. After our last trip to Florida on the 4th of July, I came home with mosquito welts,,,I could have used a bat guard that time. Will look in to that sight. Thanks and Happy Halloween. A

Oct 31, 2011 04:50 AM

Anita Clark

Coldwell Banker Access Realty ~ 478.960.8055 - Warner Robins, GA

Realtor - Homes for Sale in Warner Robins GA

Perfect timing for a bat post Toni. Very informative and the little guy in the photo looks so cute.

Oct 31, 2011 05:11 AM

Amy Robinson

London Pierce Real Estate - Scottsdale, AZ

Realtor, Scottsdale Arizona Homes For Sale

Bats are a great topic for today!! Hopefully I wont be getting to close to one tonight : )

Oct 31, 2011 05:14 AM

Lou Ludwig

Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL

Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Toni

Thanks for sharing the information regarding bats.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Oct 31, 2011 05:27 AM

Carl Winters

Canyon Lake, TX

We have a large bat cave not very far from home, you can see them when they come out each evening. They are very important and not scary like some folks would leave you to believe.

Oct 31, 2011 09:20 AM

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400

The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY

Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Toni, What a creative way to learn about bats, and on such an appropriate day ~ wishing you a happy halloween!

Oct 31, 2011 12:00 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Toni, we had bats on our patio which is located underneath our deck ... saw them once, but not lately. Good information and appropriate for today!!

Oct 31, 2011 03:08 PM

Stefanie Cohen

Coldwell Banker Realty - Boynton Beach, FL

"I Love to Sell Real Estate and it Shows"

Toni - Last winter I pulled up to my house after being away for a few days. Right in front of the garage, under the overhang was a "black thing". Really didn't know what it was until I got up close....OMG!!!!!! I saw it's wing span, and the head was upside down! It was a Sunday afternoon and I called Animal Control. They were closed and the call was put through to our local police department. I told the officer who answered what I had found. He asked where I live...after all I live in a developed community in a very built up area. He had never received a call about a bat before. His advice (and he was really very nice to take the time to talk to me about a bat!) ...and this is a true story....the bat was probably flying with his friends when it started to get light and he got tired. He landed on my house and that is why he was there. He said when it got dark, he would probably leave to find his friends.....absolutely true! I checked when it was dusk and he was gone...probably went to look for his friends :-)

Oct 31, 2011 04:04 PM

Rob Thomas

Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN

Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

Toni ......Thanks for the info ....I really didn't know that much about them till reading your post! Nice job!

Have a Great Day!
Go Vols!

Nov 01, 2011 12:18 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Alexandra - We should have a special place to give thanks to bats for eating all those mosquitoes; and we still have too many (mosquitoes not bats).

Anita - they are kind of cute!

Amy - I hope not.

Lou - thanks

C&C - you are lucky to be able to see them that way. I was at Carlsbad in New Mexico and saw them.

L&S - thanks. It was a good day to post it.

Rebecca - they probably found another place to hang :) I like your new profile picture.

Stefanie - what a great experience. Thanks for sharing that with me. Glad it turned out well for both you and the bat.

Rob - glad you enjoyed it. Thanks.

Nov 01, 2011 01:31 AM

Ron Marshall

Marshall Enterprises - Saint Michael, MN

Birdhouse Builder Extraordinaire

Toni, I wrote a post a while back about a woman in England who was evicted from her home by the authorities because her home had become a bat roost in January of this year. They told her she might be able to return this month. The bats were protected and although she had just purchased the home, she couldn't live in it nor remove the bats!

Nov 02, 2011 03:35 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Well, that's plain batty. Tough all around.

Nov 02, 2011 03:44 AM

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Toni, Thought you might enjoy my bat post...

Never Know What Will be at a Settlement Table! So Keep an Open Eye!

Margaret