BATS
Did you know? We also rehab bats! FOUND A BAT? CLICK HERE TO LEARN WHAT TO DO.
LOUISIANA BAT BASICS:
There are 12 species of bats that are native to Louisiana. Some common species that can be seen flying around at dusk include the Hoary Bat, the Big Brown Bat, the Little Brown Bat, the Eastern Red Bat, and the Evening Bat.
The largest ones found in Louisiana are the Hoary Bat and the Big Brown Bat, which have up to 16-inch wingspans. The smallest would be the Tricolored Bat, whose wingspan can be as small as 7 inches.
THE SPECIES ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO GROUPS...
1. VESPER BATS:
The majority of Bats found in Louisiana are Vesper bats. Vesper bats, also known as Evening Bats or common bats and were once referred to as "Evening Birds". Vesper bats are the largest and best-known family of bats.
2. FREE-TAILED BATS:
Free-tailed bats are so named because the end of their tail visibly extends beyond the edge of the tail membrane. The Mexican Free-tailed bats, also known as Brazillian Free-tailed bats are commonly found in urban areas and readily roost in human-made structures like houses, bridges, and tunnels. Potential conservation threats to this species include climate change, wind energy development, accumulation of pesticides in their diet, and persecution.
THEY ARE ALL SKEETER-EATERS:
All of the bat species that live in Louisiana are insectivores, meaning they eat a lot of moths, flies, wasps, ants, mosquitoes and more.
Learn what to do if you’ve found a bat: https://www.forthebirdsofacadiana.com/found-a-bat
If you’ve found a grounded bat or a bat hanging down low, use puncture proof gloves or a thick cloth to scoop the bat up, and place it inside of a cardboard box with a lid. Leave a cloth in the box, and a very shallow dish of water (similar to a jar lid.) Secure the lid shut and place the box somewhere indoors, away from children and pets.
Do not handle the bat barehanded, do not attempt to feed, do not release the bat.
DO call us at 1-337-501-4523