North Platte Bats are misunderstood animal creatures. While some North Platte people perceive them as an evil menace, they actually are very gentle North Platte animals to be respected and not destroyed needlessly. Occasionally North Platte bats gain access to buildings where they are unwelcome. A North Platte bat that is flying around in a bedroom or church can be disconcerting. The North Platte bat droppings (guano) and urine deposited by a colony of bats in an attic can cause odor and North Platte damage. On rare occasions, North Platte bats can threaten human health because they are capable of carrying and transmitting rabies and histoplasmosis (extremely rare in North Platte).
Thirteen species of North Platte bats occur in North Platte. Most are uncommon, however, and rarely found in or near North Platte structures. The big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus is found throughout the North Platte state and is commonly encountered by the public. This North Platte bat is only about five North Platte inches long from nose to tail; but it appears larger in flight. As its name suggests, this North Platte bat is brown with black skin exposed on the nose, ears and wings. The underside is pale brown.
The North Platte red bat (Lasiurus borealis) sometimes is encountered around structures and landscape. It is smaller than the big North Platte brown bat and is reddish-brown to rust colored on top with a paler red underside. It also has a North Platte cream or off-white patch on each shoulder. North Platte little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) occurs in the eastern third of the state. This North Platte bat is three to four inches long and is glossy dark brown.
North Platte Bat Facts
North Platte bats are not North Platte rodents, but mammals having flapping membranous wings supported by elongated fingers capable of true flight. North Platte bats have small needle-like teeth that are excellent for capturing small North Platte insects. They do not chew wood, caulk or structural North Platte materials. North Platte bats are nocturnal and seldom are seen in North Platte daylight unless disturbed. North Platte bats have good vision yet they rely on their specialized sonar (called echolocation) and hearing for North Platte hunting at night. They scoop flying insects out of the air with their mouths or can use their North Platte wings to draw prey into their mouths. North Platte’s bats feed exclusively on North Platte insects, devouring more mosquitoes than any bug zapper. A single North Platte bat is capable of consuming over 1,000 insects per night. They also drink while in flight by swooping over North Platte sources of standing water, including swimming pools.