They develop rapidly, and most can learn to fly within two to five weeks after birth. Bats live relatively long lives for animals of their small size, some as long as 30 years. In Our Encyclopedia Bats Vampire Bats Fruit Bats Feeding Insect-eating bats may either capture flying insects in their mouths or scoop them into their tail or wing membranes. They then reach down and take the insect into their mouth. This results in the erratic flight most people are familiar with when they observe bats flying around in the late evening or around lights at night.
Bats drink by skimming close to the surface of a body of water and gulping an occasional mouthful.
Because insects are not available as food during winter, temperate-zone bats survive by either migrating to warmer regions where insects are available, or by hibernating. Several bat species hibernate in dense clusters on cave walls or ceilings. Clusters may consist of hundreds of bats per square foot. A few species reside in caves year-round, although they usually use different caves in summer than winter. Most cave bats return year after year to the same caves.