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Flower-powered Bats Follow the Nectar Trail
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What
will the bat do on this cactus flower? Slurp nectar! Photo by Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International |
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Katy
Hinman,
Lepto Expert |
Here come the bats! Each spring pregnant bats of the endangered Lesser long-nosed bat species fly up to 100 miles a night, following the wave of cactus blooms from south-central Mexico to Arizona and New Mexico. These wonderful bats time their migration to match up with the flowering and fruiting of various food plants. In other words, they follow "flower highways" that serve as nectar trails to fuel their flights. You could call them flower-powered bats! In the process of moving from one plant to another, these flying critters are not only feeding; they are also pollinating—which is very good news for humans! Lesser long-nosed bats log as many as 3,200 miles on their round-trip migratory journey each year.
Dr. Katy
Hinman of the Arizona Arizona Game and Fish Department says, "Nectar-feeding
bats, like the lesser long-nosed bat (or Lepto, as we
like to call it), are important players out here in the desert. They pollinate
the flowers of saguaro cacti, organ pipe cacti, and century plants. They
also eat the fruit and spread the seeds of the saguaro and organ pipe.
Since lots of other desert animals depend on these plants, the Leptos
can be very important to the health of the whole desert system!"
If you?ve ever wondered what good are bats, find out today! Join Katy
for an up-close look at Leptos in her instructional video clips:
- Bat Videos: Going Batty! (Katy Hinman?s video clips)
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How can you find a bat to report? What should you record or investigate? What does Journey North want to know about the bats in your area? See:
Even if you can't go out and look for bats yet, you can plan for their arrival by building and setting out bat houses. Then enjoy the benefits of these good neighbors. See plans here:
If you?d like to delve deeper, here?s a feast of our lessons and a menu to choose from:
Try This! Journaling Question
How much energy does it take to operate a bat? How many flowers must a bat visit to sustain itself for one day? This page will help you figure it out!
Copyright
2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
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