What do we know about bats? They are the subject of hundreds of legends and contradictory stories. For example, they are often associated with the supernatural or accused of drinking blood. In this article, we will tell you who bats really are, how they live, and what they like. We can say with certainty that bats are not birds, as some may think. They are true animals, just like dogs or lions.

1.) There are 700 species of bats on our planet.

2.) Bats called Bandit pipistrelles can live up to 40 years.

3.) Bats live in colonies ranging from 2-3 individuals to several million.

4.) The most common bat species are horseshoe bats and pipistrelles.

5.) In many countries, bats were believed to be half-bird, half-beast.

6.) The ear length of an Arizona long-eared bat is 5 centimeters.

7.) The wingspan of the smallest bat is about 13 centimeters.

8.) Some bat species can produce sounds as loud as 140 decibels, similar to a taking off jet plane.

9.) Bats can detect the distance between objects with an accuracy of half the length of a grain of rice.

10.) The Brazilian free-tailed bat can fly at speeds of about 100 km/h.

11.) Narrow-winged bats can fly up to 50 km in an hour.

12.) The number of teeth in bats varies from 20 to 38, depending on the species.

13.) In one hour of hunting, an insect-eating bat can consume up to 200 mosquitoes.

14.) Bats sleep for 20 hours a day.

15.) The hibernation period for many bat species lasts 2.5 months.

16.) Bats reach adulthood at 11-12 months old.

17.) A newborn bat is usually half the weight of its mother.

18.) Bat wings are highly susceptible to old windmills and modern wind turbines.

19.) Bats and regular mice are not related; regular mice are rodents, while bats are mammals.

20.) Bats are not only cute and interesting animals, but they are also highly beneficial as they help control insect populations.

21.) Bats do not gain weight easily.

22.) People believed that vampires could transform into bats, which is why some still fear these adorable creatures, even though vampires don’t exist.

23.) It was once believed that bats were blind, but this is far from true.

24.) Ancient Greeks were very afraid of dreaming about bats, as they believed it would bring storms at sea.

25.) Bats can befriend not only each other but also humans (although it’s not advisable to keep them as pets).

26.) Bats are highly disciplined and always obey their leader.

27.) Bats have their own holiday – International Bat Night, which takes place on the night of September 20th to 21st.