#BatWeek

[easternexotics]

“Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed.” -Elle Woods Ok, but what about pastel yellow?! Move aside, Elle, this lesser long-nosed bat may be onto something. But also, this bat isn’t normally this color; it’s actually covered in pollen! An unsung hero of fragile desert ecosystems, lesser long-nosed bats pick up tons of pollen while drinking nectar out of blooming cacti and agave flowers. One could say they’re the perfect pollinator, and YES this is one of our favorite bat appreciation photos we share every year. 😂 Photo by National Park Service #batweek #easternexotics #Wildlife #batweek #bat #pollen #wildlifeeducation #pastel https://www.instagram.com/p/CkTZ9NQrOUH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[todaysbat]

Virtual Lecture Alert

Every month Bat Conservation International holds a webinar called "Bat Chat".

This month's webinar (October 2023) is a talk with the Director of White-nose Syndrome Research Tina Cheng, Ph.D. She will talk about the history of white nose syndrome in the US and its impact on bat populations here.

Date: October 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm EDT

Register:

Past Lectures (on youtube):

[usgscoopunits]

It's #batweek! The expansion of the bat fungal disease white-nose syndrome to the Pacific Northwest is centered in western Washington. However, we do not know much about bat distribution and activity in and around Washington’s National Parks and how it might change with the spread of the disease. We designed and implemented a study to understand how bats are using three large, mountainous National Parks (Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades) and surrounding areas in Washington in order to help parks prepare for and respond to the spread of white-nose syndrome in the region. 

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

BatWeek comes to an end tonight. Learn more from the National Park Service about bats that help us to protect against mosquitoes and how we can help protect them against White Nose Syndrome.

[americasgreatoutdoors]

They’ve been called creepy, scary, and spooky, but bats are an important species that impact our daily lives in ways we might not even realize. From pollinating our favorite fruits to eating pesky insects to inspiring medical marvels, bats are heroes of the night.

Bat Week — held the last week in October — celebrates the role of bats in nature and all that these amazing creatures do for us. Check out some interesting bat facts: https://www.doi.gov/blog/13-facts-about-bats

Photo description: A very friendly looking bat perches on a rock

[amnhnyc]

It’s Bat Week, and we have new bat research to share! 🦇 A recent study from Museum Research Associate Paul Velazco has described a new bat species from northwestern Peru—along with evidence that it was known to the pre-Incan Moche people more than 1,000 years ago. How can we tell? The Moche people crafted ceramics, many of which realistically portray local animals and plants, including Histiotus mochica. This bat species has distinctively large ears connected by a large band of tissue—which were clearly depicted on a Moche vessel—and is the only member of the genus. Bats of this genus are medium-sized insectivores adapted to dry climates and can be found from the Pacific coast of Peru to the Atlantic coast of Brazil. This new addition increases the total number of bat species identified in Peru to 192, the third highest in the world. Velazco believes there are still many more to find. Read our bat blog post with the link in bio. 📸 Photo: © Paul Velazco #batweek #bats #batsofinstagram #naturalhistory #museums #researchpaper #spookyseason #halloweenvibes (at American Museum of Natural History) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVjzr4wLeDt/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mountrainiernps]

When you think of a nice place for a bat to call home, do you think of caves? Sure, a lot of bats use caves, especially in the winter for hibernation. And we have a few caves in the park that bats can use.

Do you think of forests for bat homes too? Quite a few bats like to hang out in living and dead trees during the day so they can catch a few zzzzz’s. The nooks and crannies of great big douglas-firs and other craggy trees as well as the holes and cavities in dead trees lying on the ground can provide many a bat a good day’s rest. Fortunately, we have quite a few forests full of old growth trees and dead trees for bats to use.

Have you seen any bats while out and about in the park? Have you spent a lovely sunset gazing at a wildflower meadow and watched as bats flew out of the woods into a darkening sky? What is your favorite bat memory? ~ams

NPS/Hui Photo (top). View through forest at Carbon River Entrance with sunlight streaming through the canopy. July, 2016. NPS/S. Redman Photo (bottom). Sunset over Reflection Lake. July, 2014.

[draculasdaughter]

BAT WEEK OCTOBER 24 - 31, 2020

Bat Week is an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Bats are amazing creatures that are vital to the health of our natural world and economy. Although we may not always see them, bats are hard at work all around the world each night - eating tons of insects, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that grow new plants and trees.

To learn more on how to celebrate visit batweek.org.

[glaciernps]

Bat Week: Meet Our Bats!

Happy #BatWeek! Did you know that nine species of bat have been found in Glacier? Let's meet them!

1. Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis): Named for its notably long ears, this bat is found all across Montana in suitable habitat and consumes enormous quantities of insects nightly.  

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie

[alt text: Gloved hand holds a small brown bat with long ears]

2. Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus): Also known as Little Brown Bat (LBB), it’s especially skilled at hunting in swarms of small insects. LBBs often catch prey with the tip of their wing before transferring it to their mouth!  

Photo: NPS/Dylan Schneider

[alt text: A bat with outstretched wings flies off the gloved hand of a researcher]

3. Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans): These western bats prefer mountain forests. They can detect prey from relatively long distances in open spaces, but also hunt well in cluttered habitats like forest canopies. 

Photo: Kristi DuBois

[alt text: A medium-sized dark brown bat with long legs on a tree trunk]

4. Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus): Studies of big brown bat feeding habits have shown that they eat significant amounts of crop and forest pests, like scarab beetles and cucumber beetles.  

Photo: USFWS/Ann Froschauer

[alt text: A fuzzy brown bat hangs upside down in a cave]

5. Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans): These bats prefer roosting on or within trees, especially in old-growth forests. Their relatively slow flight distinguishes them from other species of bat.  

Photo: Kristi DuBois

[alt text: A brown bat with silver-tipped fur crawls up a tree]

6. California myotis (Myotis californicus): These bats are among North America’s smallest, enabling them to feed on especially tiny insect prey. It was not until miniature radio-transmitters weighing less than half a gram were developed that these bats could be tracked!  

Photo: Katie Smith, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

[alt text: Gloved hands hold a tiny golden-brown bat]

7. Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis): North America’s most abundant ‘tree bat.’ Unlike most bats, Eastern red bats often give birth to twins, and can have litters of up to five young!  

Photo: Josh Henderson

[alt text: A strikingly orange-colored bat with a small baby clinging to it]

8. Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus): Hoary bats are easily distinguishable from other species by their fur’s frosty appearance. Glacier may be one of the most substantial migratory routes for hoary bats across the continent!  

Photo: Kristi DuBois

[alt text: A bat with distinctive frosty-looking fur clings to craggy tree bark]

9. Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis): These bats are more closely associated with water than most other North American bats. They can be very difficult to distinguish from little brown bats – one way to tell is by their echolocation calls, which occur at a higher frequency.  

Photo: Kristi DuBois

[alt text: A furry brown bat with mouselike appearance clings to tree bark]

Learn even more: https://www.nps.gov/articles/bats-brief.htm  

[cocoacauldron]

Cocoa so delicious it will drive you batty! 🦇 Speaking of bats, this week is #batweek ! It's an International celebration to talk about how cool bats are, and the need for bat conservation. 🖤 Bats are major pollinators, and even help out with our cocoa! Cacao fruit won't fall from the tree by itself, and we rely on bats to eat the fruit and discard the cocoa bean, which then grows into a new tree. Thanks for all the chocolate, bats! 🖤 (at St. George, Utah) https://www.instagram.com/p/CG2Y35qnk4M/?igshid=13tgy7kzbepi1

[emanuro]

Since it’s the end of the #batweek I decided to post a great memory from my 2016 expedition to Peru. Here I was at the @conservacionamazonica biological station in Villa Carmen where a old abandoned 1940’s Antonov plane lays in the forest surrounded by the forest. Inside it, a colony of Leaf-nosed bats (Glossophaga sp.) rests during the day. Here I shot them right before the dusk, as they already prepared to fly out for dinner time. #bats #glossophaga #peru #forest #plane #amazon #picoftheday #wildlifephotography @ilcp_photographers https://www.instagram.com/p/CHAcMI0A0oF/?igshid=3k4glsujhusx

[zombiesbecrazy]

Coffee Between Strangers

Summary: A cup of coffee sits between them and makes Clark question if he's ever really known the man across the desk from him at all.

BatWeek - Reverse Valentine’s - Day 1 Prompt - Philia

AO3

“Cream or sugar for your coffee, Mr. Kent?”

“Just some sugar, if it’s not too much trouble. Thank you.”

It wasn’t every day that Clark found himself in the office of the CEO of Wayne Enterprises and he was uncharacteristically nervous and was fidgeting in his chair without meaning to. It was ridiculous, because he was a professional journalist and interviewed people all the time and it was just Bruce, and not all at the same time, because even though it was just Bruce, it wasn’t.  

Not the Bruce that he knew, anyway.

This wasn’t Batman, the monosyllabic and dry colleague of Superman. Nor was it Bruce Wayne, playboy and philanthropist of Gotham.  This wasn’t even his good friend Bruce, who he considered to be like a brother; the person who he had gone camping with and had played endless games of Monopoly with his kids with.  If anything, this was Mr. Wayne, business mogul, and Perry had arranged this interview and sent Clark to discuss the new Wayne Enterprises partnership with Gordon Clean Energy and their new collaborative projects. Clark had spoken with Barbara earlier that morning and he hadn’t been anywhere as nervous as for that one even though he knew her less well. Barbara, Batgirl, Oracle… they all were at least aspects of the same person.

All of the different layers of Bruce just confused him and made him feel like he was going to trip over all of the woven layers.

The typing at the keyboard halted which lifted Clark from his thoughts as Bruce’s assistant came back with two cups of coffee and set them on the desk.  Bruce thanked her before shifting his attention to some paperwork on the desk and she the exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Clark stared at the cups in front of him for a few moments in silence while Bruce finished up whatever he was working on, an uneasy feeling building in the pit of his stomach. It was like he hadn’t even met the man before. Clark narrowed his eyes at Bruce. There were many things about him that were a mystery, but this was one of those things that Clark knew to his very core and it was off. Something was very, very wrong.

In this moment, the man on the other side of the desk, the one that Clark has known for over a decade, was a complete stranger to him.

“There’s cream in your coffee.”

Bruce shook his head slightly, not looking up from the paperwork. “Milk.” Clark eyed the cup skeptically as it mocked him with its light brown colour.

“I thought you drank your coffee black.”

Bruce sighed, flipped the document that he was reading closed and rubbed his eyes. He looked tired, but then again, Bruce always did if you knew what to look for. “No.”

Gritting his teeth to keep himself from dropping his jaw, Clark used his x-ray vision at the man across the table from him even though he knew that Bruce hated it when he did so. Clark had to take the chance though; this was a safety matter. He needed to be absolutely sure that this was Bruce, despite what his senses already told him. He needed to confirm that this wasn’t a robot or a clone or a shapeshifter who had infiltrated Bruce Wayne’s life and resources.

Bruce could thank him for his diligence later.

But there was nothing out of the ordinary. It looked like Bruce, inside and out. It had the same scars and skeletal structure. It had the same heartbeat. It had to be Bruce.

The cup of cooling coffee between them screamed differently at Clark.

He was an investigative journalist, darn it. He needed to dig deeper. “Can we speak candidly, Mr. Wayne?” The question sounded simple enough to any prying ears, but the underlying implication was clear. Bruce raised an eyebrow slightly at Clark’s words, before reaching up and hitting a button on his watch. Clark’s hearing picked up a slight buzz filling the room and Bruce nodded for Clark to ask his question freely.

“Since when do you take milk in your coffee?”

That was not the question that Bruce had been expecting. “Since I was 16,” he replied slowly.

“I’ve known you for years, can’t even count the amount of times that I’ve drank coffee with you if I tried, and it’s always been black.”

“Oh,” said Bruce, small smile lifting the corners of his lips. He cleared his throat quickly and the beginnings of the smile disappeared. “Batman drinks his coffee black. I take milk in mine.”

Clark opened his mouth to argue and found that he couldn’t. He had spent a lot of time in the manor and had gone out for food plenty of times with Bruce, but looking back on it he couldn’t think of a time that he had ever seen him drink coffee as Bruce; he drank a lot of tea and water and the occasional alcoholic drink but Clark was drawing a blank on coffee. Yes, they had coffee in the Cave and the Watchtower and the Fortress but… how had he never noticed this? It had always been as Batman, not Bruce. Upon realization that this wasn’t something that he could debate because the evidence just didn’t hold up, he just laughed nervously while Bruce studied him from across the table. “Wow. You really take this secret identity thing to a whole other level, don’t you?”

“It takes more than a pair of glasses and a hair curl to fool the world, Clark.”

Clark shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “That isn’t my experience.” Not a day went by when Clark didn’t question how no one had linked him to Superman, but he was glad that the casual observer didn’t notice. Kids tended to recognize him, but they only ever smiled and maybe giggled if he winked at them, acknowledging the secret between them.

“Then how do you explain Clark Kent’s clumsiness? Or the sudden loss of Kansas accent when you are in the suit? You put on the same act as I do.”

“It’s not entirely an act. I’m clumsy as Superman too.”

“Rarely.”

“No, all the time. I just use my flight to cover it.”

To an outsider, it would look that Bruce didn’t react, but Clark knew better. He was the twitch near Bruce’s right eye and the way that his jaw clenched ever so slightly. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s harder to trip over your own feet if you are always slightly floating.” Clark tried to appear nonchalant, but knew that he failed miserably.

“Now I know you are joking.”

“Of course I am.” Clark chucked and tapped his fingers against his cup. “Sure, I play a bit of a role, but I apparently don’t go as far as you and change my coffee order.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Do you even like black coffee?”

“I’m not opposed to it.”

“That doesn’t mean you like it.” Bruce just stared blankly at him for a few moments before he raised his hand to his watch to deactivate the disrupter when Clark sat up straighter as his brain caught up to the words, causing Bruce to halt the motion in midair. “Wait, ‘it’s nothing’ as in you don’t really see the problem or ‘it’s nothing’ as in you’ve changed more drastic details about yourself as part of your cover? Things that you are the only one who would probably ever notice?”

“Both.”

Of course he had. “Geez, Bruce,” groaned Clark, because this man was impossible. “Like what?” Bruce remained impassive and Clark had to stop himself from reaching over the table to give him a shake. “Don’t look at me like that. These are things I should probably know so I don’t accidentally blow your cover because I don’t know how deep you’ve gone down the hole of changing your identity.”

“There is nothing that big…” Bruce trailed off and realization slowly dawned on his face. “There is one thing that could be compromising if you slipped up. Or you should know in case of emergency and you need to make a decision for me. Batman is right handed.”

“You’re left handed?” Clark looked at the desk between them and realizes that there are several pens on Bruce’s desk and they are all on the left hand side. “How have I never noticed that? It’s like you’re suddenly Inigo Montoya.”

“Or the Dread Pirate Roberts,” agreed Bruce with a nod. “I’m ambidextrous but left hand dominant. If anything ever arise that one of my hands needs to be amputated, make a note that I’d rather keep my left one if given the choice.” Bruce took another sip of that befuddling cup of coffee as if he hadn’t just dropped that casually into conversation as if he was telling Clark that he liked green grapes more than purple ones. “That is a pretty big thing to miss for an investigative journalist.”

How could you argue that with someone who did their best to be an enigma? “You are a strange and paranoid man.”

“That is not a recent development.”

“Just a statement of fact.” Clark shook his head and looked Bruce over again. He may have used the x-ray vision again, just to make sure. Still Bruce.

“You’re staring.”

“Because it’s like you are an entirely new person. I don’t know you at all. I’m a little dumbstruck.”

“You know me better than nearly everyone. Less than Alfred. Maybe more than Dick.”

“And yet I didn’t know you were left handed or how you like your coffee. After all these years.” Clark put his now empty cup back on the desk and leaned forward on it. “What else are you hiding? Just hit me with it all now. I’m jumping in the deep end.”

“I was in an improv comedy troupe.”

“Bull.”

“For six months as part of my training to learn how to be adaptable to any situation.”

“But you aren’t funny.”

“That’s subjective.” Bruce almost sounded hurt. “I was better at the dry, dark humour, not knock-knock jokes.”

“Of course you were.” In reality, Clark actually did think that Bruce had a wicked sense of humour, but the thought of him in a group of people, performing for laughs just couldn’t compute.

“All of this is off the record, by the way.”

Clark shook his head and waved his notepad and pen. “You have to say that at the beginning of the statement for it to count when it is a prearranged interview. I can see my next byline now. ‘Batman is Secretly Left Handed’. It’s going to be my big break, just you wait. I’m going put my Pulitzer in the Fortress, next to Candor.” Bruce sat back in his chair and glared at Clark, which just made him snicker. That look was at least one he recognized and saw frequently. The familiarity of Bruce’s annoyance felt good. “No one cares, Bruce.”

“Now who’s not being funny?”

“Lois thinks I’m funny.”

“She’s laughing at you, not with you.”

“Ouch. I better use my freeze breath to look after that burn.”

“Don’t get any ice on my desk.” Clark grinned and stared up at the ceiling as he rolled his eyes. That was the type of Bruce humour that made sense. “You are the most frustrating billionaire I’ve spoken to this week.”

“I’m more frustrating than Luthor?”

“I’ve haven’t spoken to him this week.”

“I saw you punch him yesterday.”

“Gee, I don’t know what you are talking about, Mr. Wayne.” Clark adjusted his glasses carefully and shifted awkwardly in his seat, slipping into his regular role. “I did see that Mr. Luthor and Superman had an altercation recently while I was watching the news this morning but I, shy and unassuming Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, haven’t spoken to him in months. Even if I did, at least I know how he takes his coffee. Lex likes mochas.”

“Seriously, Clark?”

“And you tried to say I wasn’t funny.” Clark thought back to the beginning of the conversation and remember something that Bruce had said about him. “You do the accent thing, too. That isn’t just me.”

“Voice modulation doesn’t count as an accent.”

“No, I mean…” Now it was Clark’s turn to trail off, because no. He had to know, right? Bruce’s expression was curious. Oh, he didn’t know. How could he not know? “You don’t realize you have an accent?”

“I’m sorry?”

“You speak differently depending on where you are, out of the cowl. I don’t mean the context, either. I mean your accent.” Bruce’s expression didn’t change, and Clark had to explain himself if this was going to make any sort of sense. “When you are being Bruce Wayne, like right now, you sound very posh, but generically North Eastern United States. Same when you are out of costume with the League.”

“Yes, that is how I speak, Clark. Because that is my voice.” said Bruce slowly, in exactly the accent that Clark had described.

“Nope. You speak differently at home.” Bruce’s eye twitched microscopically again. “It also comes out when you are injured or overtired but you have to be pretty out of it for it to slip through. I think only Diana and I have heard it outside your family.”

“I don’t.”

“You do. You sound…” Clark paused to think of the right way to phrase it. “Well, you sound a little British if I’m going to be honest. Inflexion. Tone. Lilt. Word choice. Mostly word choice.” He grinned the more that he thought about the first example that came to his mind. “Do you know that the first time I stayed overnight at the manor I couldn’t find my guest room because you told me it was on the second floor?”

“Your guest room is on the second floor.”

“No, it’s on the third. We’re in America, Bruce. Ground floor, second floor, third floor.” The grin on Clark’s face broke into a full smile as he started to chuckle. “Dick laughed at me for a solid twenty minutes when I had to ask for help when he found me wandering around hopelessly. He still laughs about it sometimes.”

“I suppose I can see that. I was mostly raised by Alfred. It must have rubbed off on me.”

“You also use biscuits for cookies and crisps for chips. Alfred is definitely to blame.” Clark was still chuckling to himself, but as he watched Bruce, Clark could almost see him forming plans to break the habits that he just mentioned because he was now aware of them. “Don’t start acting self-conscious about it now. I can see your brain over thinking. It isn’t something that you need to change to protect your cover.”

“But…”

“No.” Clark shook his head firmly. “It’s a Bruce thing. The real you. Not one of your masks. You shouldn’t have to hide who you are at home. Not from your family and not from me. Do you understand?”

“I…” Clark glared at him and Bruce cut himself off. “Yes, Clark,” he grumbled. “I hate it when you do that. Give me a Superman pep talk. Even a short one.”

“Excuse you. That was a Clark Kent pep talk. The Kansas accent was intact.” Bruce snorted and Clark beamed back. “And speaking of Clark Kent, he really needs to get a quote from you about this new green partnership agreement with GCE so that he can continue to get a paycheck from the Planet and pay for groceries.” He pulled out his phone to record and Bruce nodded and tapped his watch again, buzz of the disrupter disappearing.

They were back on the record.

As soon as he did, Clark could practically see the shield of Bruce Wayne, businessman, come back onto the face of the man across from him, but maybe he was able to see a version of his friend, his brother, a little better through it than he could before.

Maybe they both knew each other a little better now, even if it was something small like this.

And the next time Superman brought Batman a coffee, maybe he’d pass it to his left and add a little milk and make sure that the lid was secure so that no one could make the connection.

[todaysbat]

Bat Week is coming!

Reminder that if you're on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and/or Twitter to check the #BatWeek tag for batty content starting October 24th. And share your own bat crafts too!

[usgscoopunits]

Celebrate Bat Week October 24-31!

Celebrate #BatWeek Oct. 24-31 by joining a free webinar featuring #conservation photographer Josh Hydeman, who will share examples of his breathtaking cave and bat photography as well as the incredible stories that accompany them: https://bit.ly/3rDKwbQ

[heroicadventurists]

#BatWeek on TNT

[americasgreatoutdoors]

Hang with us during #BatWeek! Just another example of a beautiful bat, spotted bats are found in the western United States and are insectivores, feeding mostly on moths. They are said to have the largest ears of any North American bat species and are distinguishable by their jet black fur with white spots and pinkish ears. They’re just one of over 1,300 species of bat worldwide! Each year, Bat Week takes place the last week in October to celebrate the role of bats in nature and all they do for us. Next time someone says bats aren't cute, you can tell them right off the bat that they’re wrong. Photo by Paul Cryan, U.S. Geological Survey. 🦇