Bat Species In Michigan
One of nature’s most fascinating and misunderstood species is the bat. They are the only mammals that can fly for an extended period of time.
A bat’s wing, which is unlike that of birds or insects, is made up of skin stretched over long, thin fingers that envelop the hind legs and, in some cases, the tail.
To locate and capture prey, bats use echolocation. They produce high-frequency sound pulses (20-130 kHz) that reverberate off adjacent objects. The bats then utilize the echoes to figure out how far away the object is, as well as its size and shape.
Bats have evolved to fly at night and can navigate in complete darkness, easily avoiding even the thinnest wire impediments in their path. Moths, flies, beetles, and other insects are eaten by Michigan bats.
They can catch 600 to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects every hour when eating in normal conditions. Bats prefer to live in forested environments near water, which are abundant in insects.
Hibernation is a survival trait for bats during the winter months when there are no insects to eat. Despite the fact that there are numerous places in Michigan where bats can hibernate (such as caves or mines), some Michigan bats will travel to warmer areas in search of a suitable hibernation site.
The lethal disease White-nose syndrome (WNS), which affects North American bats, was detected in Michigan in 2014. During hibernation, WNS mostly affects bats. Infected bats wake up early from hibernation, quickly deplete their fat reserves, and are unable to make it through the winter. Bats with WNS frequently engage in atypical behavior, such as flying during the day or congregating outside caves during cold weather.