because these tiny nocturnal mammals consume enormous quantities of insects, pollinate a variety of plants and widely disperse seeds among other beneficial ecological contributions. Sadly, this little one fell from a bat house and roasted quickly in the sun before I could return it to the box.
Recently born big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), about one inch long.
Unfortunately, superstition and Hollywood have given bats a bad name. Learn more about the wonderful world of bats at Bat Conservation International.
Bats need friends! Here’s a free on-line booklet (.pdf) with plans to build bat houses and it explains how to locate them properly so that bats will find and occupy their new summer home. (My late wife, bat biologist Donna Hensley, compiled the first editions of this handbook, and now has disappeared from the credits. Shame on Merlin Tuttle and BCI. Very unprofessional.)