Bat!

October 6, 2023 - I was working in our storage shed when I noticed a strange looking leaf on the floor. Obviously it was not a leaf, but a small bat. He must have flown in when the door was open and then couldn’t get out after we closed the door. It was desiccated at this point. Sorry little guy!

Some of you won’t like this post because it’s about a bat. Try to remember they’re beneficial. They eat lots of bugs every night during their active period of the year. Maybe some folks think they eat gross food and that’s why they don’t like them. I think the are kind of cute with their big ears and long whiskers centered on a weird nose.

At first I tossed him into the tall grass outside the building. But then I thought a mummified bat seemed the perfect subject for a Halloween post.

Please keep in mind that my desiccated subject has probably been dead on the floor of a gardening shed for months. Then it spent a night outside in the dirt. It’s body isn’t in the best condition.

After a bit of research I determined he was a Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus). They are the most common species of bat in Colorado but they are also endangered due to white-nose syndrome. I’m fairly sure that is just dirt on it’s face from where its body has been. But it could be he got a little moldy before he dried out.

From the tip of his ears to his tail, which is dried and curled up, is 2.5 inches long. In researching for the post, I found out that the curled up tail makes a pouch for carry their pups or storing bugs. If it were alive it’s tail wouldn’t normally be curled up.

Its tiny toes were interesting. Look how long the hair is! The hair is normal; the mold on its toes is not.

Tiny toes on his back feet have long hair.

The membrane over its wing bones look much like I would expect a purposely preserved body.

They have a structure that it shaped a lot like their ear inside their ear. Researchers aren’t really sure what that does.

Thumbs are used for handling food, climbing, roosting, and fighting.

Sleeping Bat

Check out where its thumb is.

Back in June we were working around the house and had to remove a control box from the side of the house. This bat was sleeping behind it. It could be the same one! We quickly did our work and reinstalled the box. It didn’t seem to notice.

Of all the odd subjects I have photographed so far, snow flakes are the hardest because they melt. This bat was a close second. I wanted a photo of its face but with his mouth and eyes not visible, he looks even odder than he should. Also his face is looking straight up, which is normal for a bat, but makes getting a good angle with a camera difficult. I ended up having to wrap him in a lens cloth and prop him in an upright, standing, position. Exactly the opposite direct a bat should be in.

Finally, here is his very dirty face. I think his eye are in that dark area to the right of his ear.

Happy Halloween

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