Bats are not blind. They are neither rodents nor birds. Bats play key roles in ecosystems around the globe, from rain forests to deserts, especially by eating insects, including agricultural pests. The best protection we can offer these unique mammals is to learn more about their habits and recognize the value of living safely with them. A male red bat rests for the day in a maple tree during fall migration south from Canada.
Males are more brightly colored than females.
A hoary bat pauses in a hemlock tree. It is one of America's largest and most strikingly colored bats. Rabies can be confirmed only in a laboratory. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore, it is best never to handle any bat.