Quick Bat Facts

Bats comprise 25 percent of the Earth's mammal population. Bats are the only mammal able to sustainably fly. Bats are also nocturnal animals, meaning they sleep during the day and remain awake at night.

  1. Size

    • Many varieties of bats exist. The sizes of bats vary. Some types of bats are comparable to the size of a bee. Other bats can have a wingspan of up to 6 feet. The hog-nosed bat, for instance, has only a 1-inch-long body.

    Nutrition Facts

    • Most bats eat insects. Bats are beneficial to humans because they receive nourishment from insects which humans believe to be pests. These interesting animals are capable of consuming their body weight in insects per hour. The vampire bat, however, feeds on blood from the backs of cows or feet of chicken.

    Misconceptions

    • Some people believe bats to be dangerous and infected with rabies. This is untrue. Less than 1 percent of the bat population is infected with rabies. It is also a myth that bats enjoy human hair. The idea that bats enjoy entangling themselves in human's hair is a common misconception.