Hello, Adventurers! Welcome back to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If this is your first time visiting our blog, we’re happy to have you here. We are all about nature, adventure, and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors of South Carolina. If you enjoy all things hiking, paddling, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Since the weather is incredibly warm, we want to help you get out there and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer! We offer guided tours of the beautiful Lowcountry by kayak, paddleboard, ferry, boat, and private charter. We also have hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, and camping. Anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. In our last post, we talked about some of the most haunted locations in the Lowcountry. Today, we’ll be talking about some stars of the Halloween season: Bats! These amazing creatures are fantastic for the environment and we think they’re pretty cool, too! If you’re interested in learning all about bats, you’re in the right place! Let’s get started.

All About Bats

Bats are mammals that belong to the order Chiropetra, which is a name of Greek origin that means “hand wing”. This name is because the mammal’s forelimbs, or “hands”, are adapted as wings. There are quite a few amazing things about bats, but here are just two of them before we dig deeper: They are the only mammals in the world that are capable of flying! Additionally, bats are the second largest order of mammals, right after rodents. In fact, bats make up about 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide! That’s pretty impressive if you ask us. Let’s take a closer look at these creatures.

There are two main types of bats: microbats and megabats. As these names suggest, microbats tend to be smaller in size while megabats are larger. But those aren’t the only differences between the two types. Microbats are of the suborder Microchiropetra and generally range in size between 1.6 and 6.3 inches long. With that being said, some of them are very, very tiny– Some are approximately the size of a bumblebee! There are about 1,000 species of microbats. Many of them have large ears, small eyes, and small noses, and most of them eat insects. Megabats, of the family Pteropodidae, are larger and are sometimes known as fruit bats or flying foxes. The megabat family is home to some of the largest bat species, with some having wingspans of over 5 feet! Most of these bats have a diet largely consisting of fruit– Which is why they are known as “fruit bats”. Additionally, they have longer snouts and larger eyes, giving them what some describe as a “dog-like” appearance. This, of course, is how they got their nickname of “flying foxes”. 

Size and diet are not the only differences between microbats and megabats, however. One of the major differences between these types of bats is the use of echolocation in microbats– A term you may be familiar with when it comes to these creatures. Echolocation is the ability to locate objects by reflected sound, and it is used primarily by bats and dolphins. This allows the creatures to navigate complete darkness, identifying distant objects, such as prey, predators, or even obstacles to avoid. Microbats emit high-frequency sound pulses through their mouth and nose, and these pulses reflect or bounce off of objects and echo back to the bat. The echo tells the bat the object’s size and how far away it is. These sound pulses are a frequency above human hearing, so they can’t be heard by us! Bats can change their calls for different purposes. For example, bats may have different calls for socializing, searching, and hunting or feeding. Additionally, each species of bat has its own unique call pattern. All microbats have the ability to use echolocation, while the vast majority of megabats do not. Instead, they rely on their senses of sight and smell. 

Perhaps one of the most fascinating characteristics of bats is their anatomy. Their front limbs are modified for flight, with webbing helping create their wings. Bats have four long bones that act as fingers and another that acts as a thumb, all of which are very flexible compared to that of other mammals. Each finger is connected by a thin layer of skin. Additionally, bats tend to have two sharp claws. Their long, spread-out “fingers” are covered by a flexible skin membrane known as a patagium. The membrane consists of connective tissue, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. This skin membrane, along with their movable joints, helps them change direction quickly when flying. As opposed to birds, bat wings are much thinner and consist of more bones, which gives them a wider range of movement and allows them to maneuver much more accurately.

Bats can be found in almost all parts of the world, with the exception of polar regions and extreme deserts. During daylight hours, most bats seek out caves and rock crevices that keep them hidden and protected. They may also choose to roost in old buildings, under bridges, and in trees. Bats tend to prefer warmer temperatures, but can adapt to the cold. During the winter months, some bats will hibernate in caves and trees in order to survive. Additionally, bats are mainly nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night– You are unlikely to spot them during the daylight hours. If you happen to come across bats in their roost, you’ll probably notice that they are hanging upside down. This is one of the key features most people know about bats, but why do they like to be upside down? This position is most comfortable for them and helps them launch and quickly gain flight momentum. Unlike birds, bats are not able to take off from the ground. All they need to do is drop and open their wings in order to fly! 

In the United States, microbats are most common. Megabats favor more tropical and subtropical environments and are mainly found in places such as the Philippines and Australia, but species such as the Mariana fruit bat can be found in Guam and the American Samoa. Here in South Carolina, there are approximately 14 species of bats to be found. On summer nights as the sun is setting, you may see them zipping around high over your head, feeding on insects! Speaking of insects, bats play an important role in pest control. They help control populations of insects like mosquitoes and other pests. Additionally, bats are pollinators, which means they help carry and transfer pollen among flowering plants. While bees, birds, and butterflies work hard pollinating during the daylight hours, bats get to work at night to pollinate crops and disperse seeds. In fact, about 500 species of flowers and plants worldwide rely on bats as their major pollinators. 

Why are bats associated with Halloween?

Have you ever wondered why these magnificent creatures are branded as “scary” or associated with Halloween? The answer is a bit unclear, but there are a few possible explanations.

• Since bats are nocturnal, they are often associated with darkness.
• Many bats dwell in caves, which can be dark, gloomy, or mysterious.
• There is one species called the vampire bat, which feeds solely on blood rather than insects or fruit. They are, of course, named after vampires– Mythical creatures that feed on the blood of the living. Bats have been associated with vampires as far back as the late 1700s! The idea of vampires shapeshifting into bats came from the 1897 book Dracula by Bram Stoker.
• Some people believed that witches worshiped figures with wings, such as bats, or used bat blood in their potions or brews.

Whatever the reason, we hope that you find bats a little less scary after learning about them! 

Bats are truly fascinating creatures. We hope you found this article informative! As always, we thank you for reading and we hope to see you back on our blog soon! If you have any questions about our guided tours, reach out to us! At Coastal Expeditions, we are committed to introducing people to the wonders of the ecosystems of the Charleston area by providing guided tours and educational opportunities. If you’re looking to explore all that the Lowcountry has to offer, check out our offerings on our website to find the adventure which suits you best! We also offer kid-friendly tours as well as kids’ programs, camps, and kayak lessons. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!