The bat is a useful vampire. Bats (Microshirortera) Where do bats live for children

Bats represent the "bats" order, although fruit bats are not included in this order. For many decades it was believed that bats represent a separate suborder, but after conducting a series of studies at the molecular level, it was found that this is a combined group.

These animals appeared on our planet several tens of millions of years ago, while scientists found skeletons bats the Eocene period. Based on the findings, it was established that these ancient relatives of modern bats did not have significant differences. Although scientists still cannot understand why these living creatures learned to fly.

Appearance

Bats, regardless of their variety, are united common features, although there are some differences that are related to sizes and other external data. On the body of bats, wool grows, which is lighter in color in the abdomen. The wingspan, depending on the species, can reach almost 2 meters, while the shape of the wings can be different, but the structure is almost identical. The wings of these animals are formed from leathery membranes and muscles, as well as elastic veins. At rest, the wings of the animal fit snugly to the body.

An interesting moment! The flight of bats is unthinkable without the synchronous work of the hind limbs.

Bats have well-developed forelimbs, which consist of strong, short upper arms and long forearms, which are formed by a single radius. The thumb of the forelimb is armed with a hooked claw, while other rather long fingers serve as support for the wing membranes and are located laterally.

The length of the tail, as well as the shape of the body, depends on the species. Due to the presence of a special bony outgrowth called a "spur", many species turn their wings towards the tail without any problems.

All bats, regardless of variety, prefer to lead night image life. During the day, they rest, hanging head down in their shelters, in the form of caves or various wooden buildings.

Bats are able to fall into a state of suspended animation, which is characterized by a slowdown in the speed of vital processes. As a result of this, the intensity of breathing slows down in animals, and the heart rate also slows down. This allows the animals to be in a state of torpor for a long period of time. As a rule, this is characteristic of the cold seasons. Being in this state, animals can easily do without food.

Interesting fact! Usually these animals fly at a speed of no more than 15 km / h, but during the hunt, bats are able to accelerate to almost 60 km / h.

Regardless of habitat conditions, bats have a similar lifestyle and habits. Bats do not build nests and at the same time live in numerous colonies, although there are species that prefer to live apart. When these animals are resting, they take care of their body very carefully, and especially their wings. While at rest, many species become completely helpless, while some species move perfectly with the help of tenacious paws.

Compared to other mammals, bats have an impressive lifespan. For example, the brown bat is known to be able to live for several decades.

Types of bats with a photo

There are many species of "bats", while their differences lie in the different structure of the skeleton and the number of teeth. The main varieties of bats include:

Tailless or Honduran white bat

It is considered the smallest species, with a body length of not more than 5 centimeters. The habitat of this animal extends to Honduras, as well as to the countries of Central America. The basis of the diet is fruits. These animals can be found in groups of 5-6 individuals.

Craseonycteris thonglongyai)

The length of this animal without a tail is about 3 and a half cm, with a weight of about 20 grams. The animal got its name due to the peculiarity of the shape of its nose, which resembles a pig's snout. The habitat of such bats extends to the territory of Thailand and neighboring countries. Here they settle in limestone caves, and feed in thickets of bamboo and teak.

Evening bat (Nyctalus noctula)

On the contrary, it is more major representative kind. Includes 13 subspecies. Individuals grow up to half a meter in size. They fly out in search of food at dusk, as well as before dawn. The animal feeds on butterflies, beetles, and some birds. This species is found in North America and also in some European countries. The main habitats are associated with dense green spaces.

The variety differs in that they have an elongated muzzle. The animals grow up to almost 0.4 meters with a wingspan of almost 0.7 meters and a weight of almost 1 kilogram. Found in the tropics. The basis of the diet is fruits, as well as flower nectar.

Smooth-nosed bat (Vespertilionidae)

This variety includes up to 3 hundred subspecies. The family differs in that it has a smooth muzzle, without the presence of growths in the form of cartilage. About 40 subspecies inhabit the territory of our country. With the onset of winter cold, they fall into a state of suspended animation.

Earflaps (Plecotus)

A characteristic feature of the species is the presence of large locator ears, as well as the shape of the wings. These animals have short, but wide wings, and their body length is within 6 centimeters. Earflaps feed on various nocturnal insects, in the form of butterflies, mosquitoes, beetles, etc.

Bulldog bat (Molossidae)

This variety is distinguished by the presence of relatively long, but narrow and pointed wings. This allows the animal to move its wings more frequently in flight. Grow in length no more than 15 centimeters. The habitat is associated with the tropics, where they sometimes form numerous colonies.

Vampire bats may be of particular interest because they are not so harmless animals. These bats are dangerous not only for various animals, but also for people. The bite of this animal may not be harmless at all, since they are carriers of dangerous, and sometimes fatal diseases.

natural habitats

The habitat of representatives of the order "bats" includes the habitat of various varieties of bats. Many of the species have their own characteristic territories where they nest and forage for themselves, while many members of the order "bats" move along the same path as bats.

In bats, relatively high speed the course of vital processes, which is impossible without an appropriate amount of food. Adults in one night eat so many food objects that their weight is 1/3 of the weight of the animal itself. If we take into account the size of the colony, then for summer period several hundred bats destroy more than half a million different insects, including pests of agriculture and forestry. Especially numerous colonies destroy more than tens of millions of pests during the summer period.

Important point! Since bats have thin but wide wings, they quickly lose moisture. If they do not have free access to water, then this sometimes causes the death of these useful animals.

Species that prefer to live in the tropics have a long enough tongue, which makes it possible for animals to feed on pollen, as well as nectar. This, in turn, ensures the distribution of most of the wild plants of the tropics. At the same time, there are also predatory varieties of such animals. characteristic feature similar types is the presence of large and sufficiently sharp teeth. Their diet consists of rodents and small birds.

Bats have a lot natural enemies, in the form of birds of prey, predatory animals and reptiles. And yet, it is believed that their main enemy is a person who uses toxic drugs in crop production, which leads to a noticeable reduction in the number of these useful living creatures.

Reproduction and offspring

Features of the process of reproduction of these mammals depends on the species, as well as natural places a habitat.

For example:

• In smooth-nosed bats, no more than 4 cubs are born every year.
• Ushans reproduce no more than 2 cubs.
• "Flying Fox" reproduces offspring in the amount of 1 cub.

Important point! Only the bulldog bat brings offspring about three times every year, while only 1 baby is born at a time.

Most of the species, as well as subspecies, do not differ in high rates of reproduction, since the female gives birth to only one cub in one year.

Population and species status

Some of the bat species in modern times classified as rare animals, and some of them are already considered extinct, such as the common long-winged. Species such as the pointed-eared night lamp and the two-color cauldron are listed in the Red Book.

At the same time, it should be noted that in Lately the trend has changed for the better. Bat populations, although slowly, are increasing. This is due to the fact that recently they began to use chemicals more reasonably, including for the purpose of saving.

Finally

Nevertheless, it should be noted that bats have a characteristic, unpleasant, repulsive appearance, which gave rise to many legends and tales about these animals. There is an opinion that they have no vision, and why should they, if they use echolocation. As for vision, this is a complete misconception, since many species have better vision than humans. It would seem, why does a bat need vision? Yes, at least in order to distinguish what time of day to fly out to hunt. In addition, their sonar operates no more than 50 meters. Therefore, in certain conditions, it is better for them to navigate with the help of their eyes, since they are much "long-range". Recently, scientists have discovered that some species respond to the polarization of sunlight. This factor allows animals to easily navigate in space, as a result of calculating the angles of incidence and angles of reflection. It turns out that they have their own kind of compass: not magnetic, but light.

Contrary to their name, with ordinary mice, their namesake bats are not even related. While ordinary mice belong to the order of rodents, bats are representatives of the order of bats, with little overlap with rodents. But where did the name "bat" come from? The fact is that bats were so named due to their small size and squeak, very similar to the squeak of mouse rodents.

Bat - description, structure. What does a bat look like?

The order of bats, to which bats actually belong, is especially remarkable in that they are, in fact, the only mammals capable of flying. Here, however, the order of bats includes not only flying mice, but also other equally flying brothers: flying dogs, flying, as well as fruit flying mice, which differ from their counterparts - ordinary bats, both in their habits and body structure.

As we have already mentioned, bats small size. The weight of the smallest representative of this species, the pig-nosed bat, does not exceed 2 grams, and the body length reaches a maximum of up to 3.3 cm. In fact, this is one of the smallest representatives of the animal kingdom.

The largest representative of the bat family, the giant false vampire, has a mass of 150-200 g and a wingspan of up to 75 cm.

Different types of bats have a different structure of the skull, the number of teeth also varies and largely depends on the diet of a particular species. For example, a tailless long-tongued leaf-bearer that feeds on nectar has an elongated front part. Nature has so wisely made it possible for him to have somewhere to hold his long tongue, which in turn is necessary for getting food.

But predatory bats that feed on insects already have the so-called heterodont dental system, which includes incisors, canines and molars. Small bats that eat even smaller insects have up to 38 small teeth, while large vampire bats have only 20. The fact is that vampires do not need many teeth, since they do not chew food. But they have sharp fangs that make a bleeding wound on the body of the victim.

Traditionally, bats, and almost all species, have large ears, which are responsible, among other things, for their amazing echolocation abilities.

The forelimbs of bats were transformed into wings during a long period of time. Elongated fingers began to serve as the frame of the wing. But the first finger with a claw remains free. With its help, flying mice can even eat and perform various other actions, although in some of them, such as smoke flying mice, it is not functional.

The speed of a bat depends on the shape and structure of its wing. They, in turn, can be very long, or vice versa with a slight elongation. Wings with a lower elongation do not allow to develop great speed, but they can be perfectly maneuvered, which is very useful for bats that live in the forest, and which often have to fly among tree crowns. In general, the flight speed of a bat ranges from 11 to 54 km per hour. But the Brazilian folded lip, from the genus of bulldog bats, is the absolute record holder in flight speed - it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 km per hour!

The hind limbs of bats have characteristic difference- they are deployed to the sides with the knee joints back. With the help of well-developed hind legs, bats hang upside down, in this, it would seem (as for us) such an uncomfortable position, they sleep.

Bats, like any decent mammals, have a tail, which also comes in different lengths depending on the species. They also have bodies (and sometimes limbs) covered with wool. The coat can be flat, shaggy, short or thick, again depending on the species. The color also varies, usually whitish and yellowish shades predominate.

Honduran white bat with a very unusual coloring - white coat contrasts with yellow ears and nose.

However, there are also representatives of bats, with a body completely without hair - these are two bare-skinned bats from Southeast Asia.

Vision in bats leaves much to be desired, the eyes are poorly developed. In addition, they do not distinguish colors at all. But poor eyesight is more than compensated by excellent hearing, which, in fact, is the main sense organ in these animals. For example, some of the bats can pick up the rustle of insects crawling in the grass.

Their charm is well developed. For example, female Brazilian folded lips are able to find their cubs by smell. Some bats smell their prey by smell, as well as by hearing, and can also distinguish between "their" and "alien" bats.

How do bats navigate in the dark?

It's simple, bats "see with their ears." After all, they have amazing property like echolocation. How does it work? And so, animals emit ultrasonic waves that are reflected from objects and return back through the echo. Incoming return signals are carefully recorded by bats, thanks to which they perfectly orient themselves in space and even hunt. Moreover, through reflected sound waves, they can not only see their potential prey, but even determine its speed and size.

To emit ultrasonic signals, nature has provided specially designed bats with mouths and noses. First, the sound originates in the throat, then it is emitted by the mouth and directed to the nose, radiating through the nostrils. The nostrils themselves have various bizarre outgrowths that serve to form and focus sound.

People can only hear how bats squeak, because the ultrasonic waves emitted by them are not perceived by the human ear. An interesting fact: earlier, when mankind did not know about the existence of ultrasound, the amazing orientation of bats in pitch darkness was explained by the presence of those extrasensory abilities.

Where do bats live

They live practically all over the world, of course, with the exception of the cold Arctic regions. But most of all they live in the tropics and subtropics.

Bats are nocturnal or crepuscular. During the day, they tend to hide in various shelters, both underground and above ground. They especially love caves, quarries, mines, they can hide in hollows of trees or under branches. Some bats even hide under bird nests during the day.

Bats live, as a rule, not in large colonies - up to several dozen individuals. But there are colonies of bats and much more populated, the record is considered a colony of Brazilian folded lips, boasting the presence of 20 million individuals. On the other hand, there are bats that prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle.

Where do bats winter

Part of the bats living in our temperate latitudes, with the onset of winter cold, they similarly fall into hibernation. Some, like birds, migrate to warmer places.

Why do bats sleep upside down

It would seem that the very strange habit of bats to sleep upside down, hanging on their hind legs, has very practical reasons. The fact is that this position allows them to instantly fly. To do this, you just need to unclench your paws. Thus, less energy is wasted and time is saved, which can be very important in case of danger. The hind legs of bats are designed in such a way that hanging on them does not require the expenditure of muscle energy.

What do bats eat

Most bats feed on insects, but there are absolute vegetarians among them, who prefer pollen and plant nectar, as well as various fruits. There are also omnivorous bats loving like vegetable food, and small insects, and some large species even hunt fish and small birds. Bats are excellent hunters, thanks in large part to their wonderful echolocation property, which we described above. Vampire bats stand apart in terms of nutrition, feeding exclusively on the blood of wild and domestic animals (however, they can also eat human blood), hence the name.

Types of bats, photos and names

We give a description of the most interesting bats in our opinion.

Particularly interesting for its appearance, yellow ears and nose on a background of white wool. It also differs from other bats in the absence of a tail. The white leaf-bearer is very small in size, its body length does not exceed 4.7 cm, and its weight is 7 grams. Leaf-noses live in South and Central America, preferring as a home moist forests. They are herbivores and feed exclusively on fruit. They live in small colonies of up to ten individuals.

The giant evening bat is the largest bat found in Europe. The length of the body of the evening reaches 10 cm, and the weight is 76 grams. Has wool Brown. Vespers usually lives in the forests, inhabiting the hollows of trees. You can meet her on the territory of our Ukraine. It feeds on large insects, beetles,. Also listed in .

It is notable for the fact that it is the smallest representative of the bat family. Its length is only 2.9-3.3 cm, and all is not more than 2 grams. However, it has rather large ears. The nose is very similar to the snout of a pig, hence the name of this species. The color of the pig-nosed bat is often gray or dark brown. live in South-East Asia, especially a lot of them live in Thailand and its neighboring countries. An interesting feature in the habit of pig-nosed mice is their collective hunting. They hunt in groups of up to five individuals at night. Due to their small numbers, pig-nosed bats are currently listed in the Red Book.

This species got its name due to the color of the fur, which has two colors - its back is red or dark brown, and the abdomen is white or gray color. The bicolor kazhan lives over a wide range: from England and France to Pacific Ocean. These bats are found not only in natural conditions, but also in human cities, they can quite live in attics and eaves of houses. Night for them is the time of hunting for various small animals - flies, moths. Also endangered.

She is the night bat of Dobanton, named after the French naturalist Louis Jean Marie Dobanton. It has a small size, its length is not more than 5.5 cm, and its weight is up to 15 grams. Fur color is usually dark or brown. The habitat is the same as that of the kazhan, almost throughout the entire territory of Eurasia. The life of the water bat is closely connected with water bodies (hence the first name), it is near them that they like to hunt, especially mosquitoes often become their prey, of which there are also many near ponds and lakes.

Ushan is named so due to its amazing, by no means small ears. Ushan also lives on the territory of Eurasia, but is also found in North Africa. They like to live in mountain caves, where they lead a sedentary lifestyle.

It is also a small-headed bat - the smallest representative of bats in Europe, its body length is not more than 45 mm, and its weight is up to 6 grams. His body is really very similar to the body of an ordinary mouse, only with wings. Also, this species loves to settle in places next to a person.

This species is mountainous, as it loves to settle in mountain caves, canyons, crevices. It lives in a wide geographical area - Eurasia and North Africa, wherever there is a mountainous area you can find a large horseshoe bat. They hunt moths and beetles.

It is thanks to this species that bats, which are generally very useful in the ecosystem (at least by killing mosquitoes), have their bad reputation. But here an ordinary vampire actually, like the famous Count Dracula, feeds on blood, including possibly human blood. But as a rule, various domestic animals become their victims and food supply: pigs. Vampires, as expected, go to their dark work at night, when their victims sleep in a deep sleep. They imperceptibly sit on them, biting through the skin of the victim, from which they then drink blood. However, the bite of a vampire is inconspicuous and painless due to the special secret that they possess. But this is the danger, since the victim may die from blood loss. Also with a bite of a vampire, the rabies or plague virus can be transmitted. Fortunately, vampire bats live only in the subtropics of Central and South America, in our latitudes bats are absolutely harmless.

How Bats Reproduce

Bats usually breed twice a year: in spring and autumn. Also different time the duration of pregnancy in bats, depending on the habitat and species. Females give birth at a time from one to three cubs.

The development of small bats occurs very quickly, in a week the cub grows twice. At first, the children feed on their mother's milk, and after a month of life they begin to hunt themselves.

How long do bats live

The lifespan of bats ranges from 4 to 30 years, again depending on the species and habitat.

Bat Enemies

Bats also have their own enemies, which in turn can hunt them. Usually this predator birds: Peregrine Falcons, Hobbies, and also Owls. Not averse to grabbing a bat will be a snake, marten and weasel.

But the main enemy of bats (however, like many other animals) is, of course, a person. The use of chemicals in crop production has significantly reduced the number of bats, many of the species are already listed in the Red Book, as they are on the verge of extinction.

Bat bite

All bats, with the exception of the common vampire, do not pose any danger to humans, and can only bite in self-defense.

Why are bats dangerous?

Again, with the exception of blood-sucking vampire bats, the other members of this order are completely harmless.

The benefits of bats

But the benefits of bats are much greater:

• Firstly, they are the exterminators of many harmful and unpleasant insects (especially mosquitoes), which are carriers of possible diseases. They also eat butterflies with caterpillars - pests of fruit forests.
• Secondly, nectar-eating herbivorous bats, along the way, contribute to the pollination of plants, carrying pollen over long distances.
• Thirdly, the droppings of some bats are very useful as fertilizers.
• And fourthly, bats are very important for science, especially when it comes to the study of ultrasound and echolocation.

How to get rid of bats

But still, if bats have settled near the house, for example, under the roof, despite all their benefits, they can be annoying, especially because of their squeak. To get rid of bats under the roof, in the country house or attic, you need to follow these instructions:

• First you will need to find a place where the bats rest during the day. Then, after waiting for them to fly away for a night hunt, just close this place with a mount or something else.
• You can try to smoke them out.
• You can spray their habitats with special sprays whose smells will scare away mice.

• Bats always fly to the left side of their hiding places.
• Substances contained in the saliva of vampires are now used as drugs to prevent the formation of blood clots.
• If in our culture bats are associated with vampires and other evil spirits, then in Chinese culture, on the contrary, they are symbols of harmony and happiness.
• Bat very voracious, so in an hour she can eat up to 100 mosquitoes, in terms of human measures, this is about the same as eating a hundred pizzas in an hour.

Bats video

And in conclusion interesting video about bats.

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Almost all children of preschool and younger school age interested in animal life. And, of course, the main assistants in the knowledge of the world around, in this period of a child's life, are the parents.

However, kids sometimes ask questions that are difficult to give an exhaustive answer, and first you need to read a little yourself and prepare for the story. One of these questions is the question of bats, because you can meet them practically in any part of our country, just being on the street at night.

Of course, kids may not like this ugly creature and at first even scare a little, but it is so unusual that you will probably want to know more about it.

So, what to tell kids about bats?

We are used to the fact that if an individual has wings, then it is a bird, bats are an exception.

The bat is the only animal on our planet that can fly. Interesting name scientists gave them - a detachment of "bats".

It may seem that bats are all of the same species, that is, they are all the same. However, this is not so, according to scientists, there are about 1000 species of bats on Earth.

So, on the territory of our country you can meet bats with funny names- leaf-bearing, leather, large ears, night bats, etc.

The muzzles of bats resemble the snout of a pig, but there are some similarities with a mouse muzzle. Some representatives of these animals also have huge ears, like a hare, and a horn on their nose, like a rhinoceros.

The body of bats is covered with soft and thick fur skin. The skin covers the entire body of the animal, except for the wings. The color of the mouse skin can be gray or brown.

The front paws - "wings" of bats are long fingers connected by leather membranes. Spreading their fingers and opening their "wings", the animals can fly and take cover if they are cold.

Due to their unique features, the animals can reach a flight speed of up to 20-40 km / h, that is, move like a leisurely car. Can you imagine? After all, this is a movement in pitch darkness. Scientists say that bats see the world in black and white, and they see something, by the way, not very well. Echolocation allows them to navigate well in the dark - such special ultrasonic pulses that are reflected from objects. The animals catch these impulses with their auricles, which allows them to maneuver and avoid collisions with obstacles.

An interesting feature is that when mice fly, they always scream loudly.

It is worth noting that bats not only fly well, but also excellently climb steep surfaces, move on the ground, and can even hover in the air above the water. Amazing animals!

How big do bats get?

Most often, the size of individuals ranges from 3 to 10 cm, but there are species on Earth that reach 40-50 cm.

Where and how do bats live?

Usually bats live in groups that can reach more than 1000 individuals.

Their home is in the places they don't go to. solar light. For example, dark caves, hollows, abandoned basements and attics.

The animals sleep all day upside down, wrapping themselves in wings - this is another of their amazing features. But with the onset of darkness, they are put forward to hunt.

Flying animals feed on insects, fruits, and flower nectar.

But there are also species that feed on the blood of birds or small animals. Such mice live in America, Mexico and southern Argentina. And there are species that feed on fish.

With the onset of frost, bats hibernate, and those that do not fall fly away to warmer climes, like birds.

According to scientists, the average life expectancy of a bat is 7-10 years. Once a year, a female (or two cubs) is born to a female, which she feeds with milk.

You can see the bat in the zoo or on the street at night. Sometimes, bats fly into the windows of houses by mistake. However, if it is safe to meet a bat in a zoo, then it is better not to touch a bat that has flown through a window or met on the street, because it can be a carrier of dangerous diseases, for example,.

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Bats (lat. Microshirortera) - a name that generalizes all representatives of the order of bats, except for fruit bats. For a long time, bats were considered only as a suborder, but karyological and molecular genetic data have proven that the group is a team.

Description of the bat

Bats live on our planet for several tens of millions of years, and the finds of the skeleton of such an animal date back to the Eocene period. According to scientists, the most ancient creatures practically did not differ from modern individuals, but the appearance of their ability to fly has not yet found a scientific explanation.

Appearance

Despite the obvious differences in representatives different types bats by size and external characteristics, there are many features that unite them. The body of bats is covered with fur, which has lighter shades in the abdomen. The wingspan of such an animal varies between 15-200 cm. The shape of the wings can be very different, including fluctuations in length and width, but their structure is always of the same type. The wings of an animal with leathery membranes are equipped with muscles and elastic veins, due to which, at rest, they are tightly pressed against the body.

This is interesting! Bats fly using membranous wings that move in sync with their hind limbs.

The forelimbs of bats are fairly well developed, including strong, short upper arms and very long forearms formed by a single radius. On thumb a hooked claw is located on the forelimb, and the membranes of the wings, which are located on the sides, are supported by other rather long fingers.

The average length of the tail, and the shape of the body directly depend on the species of the individual. The presence of a so-called bony outgrowth called a "spur" allows many species to unfold their wings quite easily all the way to the tail.

Lifestyle and behavior

Almost all bats, along with other bats, prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, so during the daytime they sleep, hanging head down or hiding in cracks in rocks, trees and buildings. Sufficient cavities inside trees, caves and grottoes, as well as various artificial aboveground and underground structures can be considered as a refuge for representatives of the class Mammals and the order Chiroptera.

The bat is able to fall into a state of torpor, which is accompanied by a decrease in the rate of metabolic processes, a slowdown in the intensity of breathing and a decrease in heart rate. Very many representatives of the species fall into a long period of seasonal hibernation, sometimes lasting eight months. The ability to easily carry out independent regulation of the metabolic rate in the body allows insectivorous bats to go without food for a long time.

This is interesting! In the process of normal movement, adult bats can easily reach speeds of 15 km / h, but in the process of hunting, the animal accelerates to 60 km / h.

Representatives of many species live in various natural conditions, but the habits of bats are remarkably similar. Such animals do not build nests, but a solitary lifestyle is characteristic of only a few species. In the process of rest, bats try to carefully look after their appearance, so they carefully clean their wings, abdomen and chest. Indicators of mobility outside the summer period depend on species characteristics, therefore, some representatives are characterized by some helplessness, and many bats can climb well and move quite actively with the help of tenacious paws.

How long do bats live

Bats of any kind are able to live long enough compared to many other mammals. For example, the average officially recorded lifespan of a brown bat today is thirty years or more.

Varieties of bats

There are a great many species of bats, and varieties of bats are characterized by a different structure of the skull and the number of teeth:

• tailless or- one of the smallest animals in size up to 45 mm long. The sonar animal lives in Honduras and countries in Central America. Eats fruits. Individuals are combined into families, most often consisting of five and six heads;
• Pig-nosed bats- animals with a tailless body length of up to 33 mm and a mass of 2.0 g. The nose resembles a pig's stigma in appearance. They live mainly in Thailand and neighboring countries where they settle in limestone caves. Animals feed in bamboo and teak thickets;
• Party Bat- a representative of one of the largest families in the form of thirteen subspecies. The animal has become widespread in North Africa and in European countries, where it settles in deciduous dense plantings. The length of a large bat is half a meter. Hunts at dusk and before dawn for butterflies, beetles and some birds;
• Bat dog and fox or "fruit mouse"- a whole species of bat mice with an elongated muzzle. The length of a large adult animal is 40-42 cm with a weight of up to a kilogram and a wingspan of up to 70 cm. A harmless animal feeds on fruit pulp and flower nectar. Inhabits the countries of tropical Asia;
• smooth-nosed bats- a family represented by three hundred varieties that are distinguished by a smooth muzzle without cartilaginous growths. A little less than forty varieties live in our country, which hibernate with the onset of winter;
• Ushany- bats with large locator ears, short and wide wings. Body length does not exceed 50-60 mm. The diet is represented by butterflies, mosquitoes, beetles and other nocturnal insects;
• bulldog bat- the animal has special narrow, rather long and pointed wings, which allows it to perform high swings during the flight. The body length is only 4-14 cm. They live in tropical zones, where they unite in colonies with different amount individuals.

Range, habitats

The range and habitats of bats almost completely coincide with the distribution range of all representatives of the bat order. Most bats have their own special territories used for hunting and foraging, so representatives of the order of bats very often fly along the same route.