Bats are harmless and are important indicators of a healthy environment.  They are useful as a warning sign to potential environmental problems because bats are sensitive to high pollution and pesticide levels. 

A small bat can capture more than 1,200 mosquitoes in a single hour or about 2,000 to 6,000 insects each night which diminishes the need for pesticides.  Besides mosquitoes, bats can help control the populations of flies, gnats, beetles, moths, and leafhoppers, and agricultural crop pests including the tomato horned worm, and corn earworm.  Many insects can hear bats up to 100 feet away and will avoid those areas occupied by bats. 

Most bats live between 10 and 20 years.  Bats usually have one baby once a year.

When winter comes, some bats migrate to warmer climates.  Other bats find a cave to spend the winter.  During hibernation, a bat’s heart pumps about 11 beats a minute.  In contrast, when bats are awake and flying, their heart pumps over 1,000 beats a minute.  Some bats can fly up to 50 miles an hour.

Bats cannot stand upright due to a very small pelvic girdle.  They hang upside down nearly all the time.  Blood does not rush to their head because they do not weigh enough for gravity to affect their circulation.