Bats are the most magnificent and awe-inspiring creatures on the planet. They still have scientists trying to demystify them after hundreds of experimental years and yet, they remain a curiosity fluttering about in the shadows. Chances are, you may not have given them much thought because they mostly remain unseen, but I'm here to lead you into the dark and open your eyes to the beauty and importance of bats to our world.

(A photo of Bootsanna, the bat I sponser at Bat World Sanctuary in Texas.)

Bats thrive on every continent except Antarctica. Some species of bats can live over 40 years and they range in size from that of a cashew, meaning they are possibly the smallest mammal in the world, to the Megabats being the size of a small dog with a five foot wingspan. There is only one species that drink blood, the familiar vampire bats that gained popularity through cinematic dramatization. Vampire bats typically feed on cows and even birds, but VERY RARELY humans. Most bats actually eat nectar from flowers and insects.

Nectar bats and insectivore bats are vital to the sustainability of our Earth. Nectar bats are second to bees in pollination! And one little insect bat can eat over 1,200 mosquito sized insects EVERY HOUR! That's up to 10,000 bugs a night per one bat.

Let's do math for a moment - bats are the SECOND LARGEST ORDER of animals on the planet (next to rodents), making up 20 percent of all classified mammal species. Some experts say there are up to 1,200 species of bats. According to the EU Center of Biology and Conservation Ecology:

"In temperate North America, bats feed almost exclusively on insects. In the warm months of the year individuals may eat up to one-half of their body weight on a given night. If this level of consumption is extrapolated to a population of 50,000 bats (a conservative estimate for the number of bats living in a 100 square mile area in New England), this would amount to over 13 tons of insects eaten in one summer. Many bats are also important predators of insect pests, including mosquitoes, biting midges, beetles, and moths. Thus, in reality bats are really valuable controllers of insects."

We would certainly all be driven to an early grave by insects and dangerous flying bugs harboring contagious diseases if it weren't for our bat friends.

And also, let's remember how the sonar radar came about... bats and their "blind sight," aka echolocation. We've figured out that bats are able to see with their ears by using clicking noises that reverberate and tell them where the exact location of objects are, but scientists are still trying to understand how they move through the air. There is virtually no methodology in the chaotic flying mechanism bats use to move their wings, (which are basically the equivalent to human hands in their bone structure).

There is so much to learn from bats. Personally, I've had an avid curiosity towards them since I first held one at age five. I remember my Momma calling them, "chimney sweepers," but I like to call them magickal creatures. In fact a bat is most certainly my spirit animal. I love that they are communal and typically mate for life, while raising children together. They return to the same place for hibernation year after year, generation after generation. They are moon light nurturers, working relentless to care for the Earth every night as we sleep.

Maybe the next time you go outside when it's dark, take a long stare at the sky and know that they are out there, silently, swiftly, and humbly protecting you and fertilizing our planet so that we can all continue to live here. Even though they are small and unseen, bats are an integral part of our world and I will always advocate for their conservation and preservation and hope that you will, too!

Please join me in saving these beautiful, mysterious creatures by clicking the link below and donating to Bat World Sanctuary's one week fundraising event from July 12-19!