Many people find them scary and some are even afraid of them. Bats are unpopular among humans because of their nocturnal activities. However, they are actually fascinating, a harmless mammal and can be a great help to gardeners in the woods and garden.
Bats fly out after dark and feed on insects
Netopians are not to be feared at all. Their nocturnal acrobatics are beautiful and they have none of the demonic powers often attributed to them. They feed on insects they catch in flight. Some even live vegan and eat only fruit or nectar from flowers. Only three species of bats feed on the blood of birds and mammals – these lend themselves to vampire stories.
Bats are very demanding when it comes to their living conditions. They need a diverse hunting ground full of flowers and flying insects. Trees and shrubs play a dual role for them: firstly, they create flight paths and also provide shelter on the way back from the hunt. They find many insects in the trees, and just as often hunt them over the water, where swarms of them can be found.
Bats are nocturnal hunters. They locate their prey and obstacles along the way by listening. They send out ultrasonic waves and create an image of their surroundings based on acoustic echoes. Some species can even outsmart a moth using passive hearing. Large ears allow them to listen for very weak habits.
The bat needs several places to rest
.
A lack of adequate shelter can even threaten the entire population. Bats have to survive a critical period of hibernation before winter because of the lack of insect activity. For hibernation they choose:
- Underground caves
- Shafts
- Depths in trees
.
Bats lower their body temperature, in this state they must not then be disturbed; premature activity and consumption of energy reserves can lead to death.
If you want to keep bats in your garden, create bat shelters
on the trees in which they find shelter. The entrance hole should be protected from wind and rain.