By hanging upside down, they merely need to let go, pick up speed and start flapping their wings to begin to fly. This also allows them a quick escape if a predator approaches. Mexican free-tailed bat Reproduction Most bats in Missouri breed in autumn, and the females store the male's sperm until the following spring, when fertilization takes place. The gestation period lasts only a few weeks and baby bats are born in May or June. The young are fed on milk until they are capable of foraging on their own.
Baby bats grow rapidly, and most young are able to fly in two to five weeks.
Benefits of Bats Bats are an important part of the natural world. Bats that feed on fruit are the primary means of seed dispersal for some species, and nectar-feeding bats are responsible for the pollination of many species of plants. In fact, more than 400 products used by humans come from bat-pollinated plants. These products include bananas, avocados, cashews, balsa wood and tequila. Missouri bats help control nocturnal insects, some of which are agricultural pests or, in the case of mosquitos, annoying to people.