1. Jeanna Eppley Southmont Jr/Sr High School Crawfordsville, Indiana
INDIANA BATS
Jeanna Eppley
Southmont Jr/Sr High School
Crawfordsville, Indiana

2. BATS Draw a picture, write words, phrases and/or sentences telling me
What you know about bats
How you feel about bats
Experiences with bats
Why are bats bad/good
Etc…

3. Why do we fear Bats? Bad Public Perception Is this true???
Vampires-Blood eaters
Blind – “Blind as a bat”
Diseases - Rabies
Attacks – Biting people
Is this true???

4. Are bats blind vampires?
There are Vampire bats!
They do NOT live in North America
They do NOT feed on humans’ blood
Bats are NOT blind, they do have eyes.
There sight is not the best, but their hearing is!

5. Will they drink my blood?
No- Not in Indiana
Only 3 species are blood eaters
– Vampire Bats
680 species eat insects
236 species eat Fruit
Others eat: meat (mostly rodents), nectar, and fish.

6. Rabid Bats Attack??? Disease
Bats, like most mammals, can transmit disease to other animals and humans.
Sick bats do not live long and there are not many of them.

7. Rabid Bats Attack??? Attack Bats will not fly at you!
People who suffer from bat bites have put themselves in that situation.
NEVER APPROACH AND/OR HANDLE A BAT and you will get along just fine.

8. History and Folklore Have been worshiped as gods Symbols of good luck
Associated with Halloween
Bats are usually in hibernation at this time.

9. Bat Facts Bats are Mammals Only True Flying Mammal About 1,000 Species
Body is covered with Hair
The mothers have Live Birth
Usually 1 pup per year
Mothers produce Milk for their young.
Only True Flying Mammal
About 1,000 Species
Bats make up about ¼ of mammal species

10. Indiana Bats Hoary Bat Silver-haired Bat
Little Brown Myotis – Indiana Myotes
Big Brown Bat
Evening Bat
Eastern Pipistrelle

11. Big Brown Bat Common in Indiana and most of the US
Average Weight: 20 grams
Insectivores: Feed on Insects
Favorite Food: Beetles and Moths

12. Big Brown Bat Common in Indiana and most of the US
Average Weight: 20 grams
Insectivores: Feed on Insects
Favorite Food: Beetles and Moths
Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

13. Big Brown Bat Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

14. Little Brown Bat Common in Indiana and most of the US
Insectivores: Feed on Insects
Average Weight: 10 Grams
Favorite Food: Aquatic Larva
Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

15. Eastern Pipestrelle Common in Indiana and Eastern half of U.S.
Insectivores: Feed on Insects
Average Weight: 5 Grams
Favorite Food: Flying insects (Beetles, Moths, Flies)

16. Eastern Pipestrelle Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

17. Eastern Red Bat Common in Indiana and a majority of U.S.
Insectivores: Feed on Insects
Average Weight: 13 Grams
Favorite Food: Flying insects (Beetles, Moths, Flies)
Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

18. Eastern Red Bat Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman
Purdue University Extension

19. Importance to You
How are bats important to your life?
Brainstorm

20. Japanese Beetles
Cause major harm to our crops and landscape every year!
Beetle Count Activity

21. Worksheet – Japanese Beetle Populations
Each Female lays approximately __50____ eggs per year
Life Cycle: _Complete: Egg, Larva, Pupae, Adult_________________
Damaging Stages ____Adult__ and ______Larvae________
Larval Stage Name _____White Grub_____________
Damages ___Larvae feed on roots below the ground; often the wounds left lead to disease transmission in the plant. Adults feed on foliage, very destructive.
Use the following to determine the population increase for Japanese beetles.
1 Female x 50 Offspring = _____ x 50 cycle two = _____________
___________x 50 cycle 3 = _______________ x 50 cycle 4 = _______________
___________x 50 cycle 5 = _______________ x 50 cycle 6 = _______________
___________x 50 cycle 7 = _______________ x 50 cycle 8 = _______________
___________x 50 cycle 9 = _______________ x 50 cycle 10= _______________
If one bat can consume 1,000 insects per night, how many generations would the bat consume in one week? Show your work!

22. Bat Habitat What must be provided for any organism to live
Food
Water
Shelter
What is the ideal bat habitat?

23. Build your own Bat House!

24. Reflection Write about three things you have learned about bats?
Have your feelings about bats changed?
What would you tell someone who is scared of bats to help them accept the mammals?