Bats, one of the most numerous types of mammals comprising 20% of all mammal species, are the only species of mammals capable of true flight. There are 1,200 different species of bats ranging in wingspan sizes from a little over an inch to five feet with two different suborders of bats: the megabats and the microbats.. Bats are found on nearly every continent, except for extreme deserts and arctic environments. Bats are nocturnal and typically feed on insects or fruits, but 3 species of bats feed on blood (typically from cattle) and thus have spawned many myths and folklore associations with vampires, darkness, and horror.
Bats live all over the world and in a lot of regions of the United States. During the day they tend to seek caves, rock crevices, old buildings, bridges, mines, and trees. Throughout the winter bats hibernate or migrate to warmer climates.
Bats have an average lifespan of 20 years while the oldest bat on record lived up to 40 years. A bat older than 30 years is the equivalent to a human older than 100 years. Bats are the longest-lived mammals considering their small size.
Some bats seek a hibernation site in the winter, while others migrate to warmer weather. Bats that do hibernate tend to do so in secluded spaces such as caves, isolated areas, mines, rock crevices, and structures with the adequate temperature and humidity. Some bats seek warmer weather as food becomes scarce in the winter.
