Several Oklahoma bats, such as Rafinesque's and Townsend's big-eared bats, have greatly enlarged ears to help in echolocation, but bats also use sight to perceive their environment. Echolocation is similar to sonar. By listening to the echoes that reflect back to them, they are able to maneuver around objects in their path and capture tiny flying insects. In fact, bats are the only major predator of these night-flying insects. Red bats, however, may produce twins or quadruplets.
Young bats develop rapidly and most are able to fly about two to five weeks after birth.
A newborn bat has well-developed feet and claws that are used to cling to its mother or to roost when the mother leaves to eat. Disturbances of maternity roosts can result in large numbers of young bat deaths. When disturbed, the mother bat becomes excited and flies, jerking the young bats and causing them to fall. Once bats locate an insect, they often trap it with their wing or tail membranes and then reach down and take the insect into their mouth. This action, as well as the chase, results in the erratic flight most people are familiar with when they observe bats feeding in the late evening or around lights at night.