United States Bat Species

Most people have a negative perception of bats. They think that bats spread diseases, eat food, damage structures and assault human beings. However, if we do a careful study about bats, we will come to know that bats are useful in many ways. In the first-place bats disperse seed through which pollination occurs in the plants. Secondly, bats eat rodents that otherwise prove harmful to our gardens and houses. Bats have been used in the formation of medicine. The medicine prepared from bats has proved vital in treating various fatal ailments. Thus, bats help us immune from diseases and threats of small insects and animals. Therefore, the significance of bats cannot be denied.

The origin of bats goes back to fifty million years ago. These mammals increased tremendously in number across the world. It's been said that there are more than thirteen hundred species of bats in the world. In the United States alone we find more than forty-seven bat species. Some of the most commonly found species of bats in the United States are as under:



Long-nosed Bat
The lesser long-nosed bat help preserve the ecosystem. This tiny bat is 3 inches long having large tongue almost parallel to its body. This bat species is mostly found in Mexico. The importance of the bat species cannot be neglected because it helps pollinate plants. This pollination process helps maintain our ecosystems. The flowers such as agave and cacti get pollinated through bats. The species of bats seems yellowish but, they are not yellow coloured.

Hoary Bat
The most captivating species of bats is called old bats. They are gorgeous in shape and colour. These bats have white fur and long wingspan around 16 inches long. These bats roost in trees and live throughout the United States and Canada. Hoary Bats live singly. They usually leave roots during darkness. On certain occasions, you can witness them early in the evening too.

Pallid Bat
Another type of bats that exists in America is called pallid. They are famously knowns as desert bats. Mostly these bats live in semi-arid regions. This species of bats are creamy coloured with soft fur around the skin. These bats have long ears that help them detect prey. The size of the pallid bat is about 4 inches. Moreover, these bats live in colonies. They can live inside buildings, rocks and mines.

Free-tailed Bat
These bats live in southern America and Mexico. Free-tailed bats go for hunting on nighttime. They are excellent insect predators. Free-tailed bats usually live in colonies. They search for food and water at fixed times.

Mariana Fruit Bat
The flying fox or Mariana bat species is one of the most abundant in the United States. These bats have golden and grey fur. The cities that host these bats include Guam and North American Mariana Islands.

Little Brown Bats
Brown bats most of the times hibernate. North America is famous for these bats. These bats are as large as a human fist. The tiny size does not hamper this bat to eat at least twelve hundred insects per day.

Apart from bats as mentioned above, more bat species are also found in America. Among them, Virginia big-eared bat, Leaf-nosed, Fruit bat and Indiana bat are widespread.


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