Big Brown Bat Gobbles Up Mealworms

Flying high above the rest, bats are the only mammals that can truly fly (sorry, "flying" squirrels!) They belong to the Chiroptera order, which literally means "hand-wing." Talk about having a cool name!With more than 1,400 diverse species around the globe and 14 native to Missouri, these fascinating creatures have few predators, but diseases can be a real buzzkill to the bat population. But wait, there's more! These bad boys are the OG insect killers and can chow down on their body weight in bugs every night. Plus, they're the go-to pollinators for lots of fruits like bananas and mangoes.

And don't let their small size fool you! Bats can live over 20 years in the wild and more than 40 years in captivity. So, let's give these unique critters a shoutout for their valuable role in controlling insects and aiding pollination. We say, #batsarecool and definitely deserve our protection!

#BatAppreciationMonth