Bats of the United States

Most of the many bat species found in the United States are insectivorous except for three flower eating species that migrate from Mexico.

Species

Indiana Bat
Mexican Long-nosed Bat

Bats belong to the biological order of Chiroptera. The bat families found in North America are Vespertilionidae, Molossidae, Antrozoidae, Mormoopidae and Phyllostomidae.

Vespertilionidae

Molossidae

Antrozoidae

Mormoopidae

Phyllostomidae

Notable bat roosts

In 2009 the Grandview Mine in the Grand Canyon National Park had gates added to support on-going bat research, preserve historic mine resources, and promote visitor safety.

The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, which crosses over Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, is the world largest urban bat colony.

Seventeen species of bats live in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, including a large number of Mexican Free-tailed Bats.[1] It has been estimated that the population of Mexican Free-tailed Bats once numbered in the millions but has declined drastically in modern times. The cause of this decline is unknown but the pesticide DDT is often listed as a primary cause.

State insignia

As of February 2011, at least three states had an official bat. The general assembly of North Carolina considered a bill in 2007 that would have made Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat as its state bat. The bill passed 92-15, but died in the state senate.[2]

State State bat Scientific name Image Year adopted
Oklahoma Mexican free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis Closeup of Mexican free-tailed bat 2006[3]
Texas 1995[4]
Virginia Virginia Big-eared Bat Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus a large bat with mouth open, and wings unfurled, lit up against a black background 2005[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Bats". National Park Service. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  2. ↑ "House Bill 1683 Official State Bat (2007-2008 session)". North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  3. ↑ "Senate Selects Bat as State’s Flying Mammal". Oklahoma State Senate: Communications Division. 8 March 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  4. ↑ "Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 95, 74th Legislature, Regular Session (1995)". Texas State Legislature. 1995. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  5. ↑ "HB 2579 Bat, big-eared; designating as official emblem of State.". Virginia State Legislature. 31 March 2005. Retrieved 18 August 2011.

External links