Geoff SweetMar 1
Lisa 🦔

I was swarmed by mosquitoes last night while releasing a bunch of my longer-term bat rehabs.

All I could think as the batties lifted off of my hand and into the sky was… “yes YES… FLY my pretties!” and cackling internally.

Anyway, I’m:

—thrilled these batties are out in the world and flying the evening skies again.

—worried about them finding their way in the world.

—pleased to have the space again to take in more new cases.

—sad to not see some of their faces every day.

—comforted by the goofy little batties that are still in residence.

—trying to ignore the mosquito bite in the middle of my forehead.

Last night’s release count:
6 Mexican Free-tailed bats
(Tadarida brasiliensis)

2 Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius)

🖤🦇🖤
#BatsInMyBelfry #BatsInBlankets

Mar 1 at 3:32pmWeb
Show threadJer 🚲Mar 1
@mycrowgirl Look at that little motor-scooter go. Wonderful work Lisa!
Show threadJenica Lake เหล็ถเลถMar 1
@mycrowgirl omg Lisa!! Such a cute scamper, flap and fly. Good work!!! I'm sure it's hard to let them go, but very satisfying too :)
Show threadGeorge DinwiddieMar 1
@mycrowgirl It’s sweet that you attracted food for them.
Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@gdinwiddie always have to make sure your little batties have enough snacks when they leave the house 😅🤣
Show threadsaraMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Thanks for your work 😍

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@sagilca 🖤☺️ it’s an absolute privilege to do!
Show threadDee Lux FiatMar 1
@mycrowgirl Love this! Keep up your important work for bats and our planet.
Show threadAri "Two Sheds" JacksonMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Aaaaah, everybody's ears would be ringing if they had heard my screech of delight with that video! Go little buddy, go!

I was already seeing mosquitoes in February, so I really need to think about getting my bat house back up (it got taken down when I had some tree work done).

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1

@arisummerland yay!!! Bat houses for all!!!

🖤🦇🖤
For anyone reading who does not already have one, this page has great tips on placement and what to look for to offer a safe roost for the sky puppies:
https://www.batcon.org/about-bats/bat-house-guidelines/

Show threadMa Quest Mar 1
@mycrowgirl Thanks for posting. Awesome! 🦇 Tagging for #SolarPunkSunday
Show threadEllen 🎈Mar 1
@mycrowgirl @arisummerland My dad built a bat house a couple years ago, but as far as we can tell it has elicited zero interest. Odd, as Mom and Dad have a creek/meadow behind their house. I've bookmarked the article...
Show threadAri "Two Sheds" JacksonMar 2

@Starry1086 @mycrowgirl

This article is making me want to construct a new set of bat houses! I don't have the right-facing exposure on my house, though (I think?), and the shade tree that was protecting the bat house from overexposure to heat has come down (some of the tree work). Hmmm... lots to ponder! We do have lots of bats, though, so someone is doing it right.

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 2

@arisummerland some folks add a secondary roof overhanging the bat house to give it additional shade. That’s probably what I’ll end up doing when I build a new one here. I can’t put it too close to a shade tree because that’s a setup for disaster with our hurricanes here. 😅

It’s tricky, there’s not much rhyme or reason why some bat houses are immediately occupied while others site empty for years!

@Starry1086

Show threadDoomsdaysCWMar 1
TY for posting, @mycrowgirl . I had set-up one, but no-takers (well, the hornets liked it). Too many empty old barns in the area (their preferred location).
Show threadAbhijit Menon-SenMar 1

@mycrowgirl Yay, congratulations on the octobat release! 🙌

Those test flaps are adorable.

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@amenonsen Biiiig stretch 🤣
Show threadAbhijit Menon-SenMar 1
@mycrowgirl Say, you wouldn't happen to have opinions about DIY bat detectors by any chance?
Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1

@amenonsen no, but I hope someone does!

I’ve idly looked at (stupid expensive) commercially available ones but had nowhere near the wherewithal to look into a DIY solution.

It can’t be THAT difficult to make though!

Show threadFubaroqueMar 1
@amenonsen @mycrowgirl https://www.okaphone.com/artikel.xhtml?id=484198
Show threadDuckbilled Plattypus.Mar 1
@mycrowgirl Thank you on behalf of us besieged by mosquitoes. Bats are such efficient and graceful antidotes to mosquitoes. We used to have our night skies filled with bats, so when walking at night you could hear their wings fluttering next to your ears as the swooped to catch and scatter the biting pests. Unfortunately, white nose killed off almost all of them. They are slow to return, we are at about 1% to 3% of their numbers from 20 years ago.
Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1

@pattykimura it’s such a scary decline!

Unfortunately, white nose syndrome is only a part of the problem. It only really affects the cave/crevice dwelling bats.

We’re also seeing huge declines in our tree roosting bats from habitat loss due to overdevelopment and unhelpful landscaping practices.

Then consider the terrifying loss of insect mass from pesticides etc. Just because we’re being bitten by mossies doesn’t mean there’s sufficient food for batties (and other insectivores). 😥

The good news is that this is all stuff we can fight, even if it’s hard. And in the meantime, we’ll be out there helping the little ones who land themselves in a spot of bother. ❤️‍🩹
🖤🦇🖤

Show threadDuckbilled Plattypus.Mar 1

@mycrowgirl

We live in a rural area of ledge and caves and lots of woods. Many in our area agreed to protect the farms and woods (mostly hilly woods) because we (as a group) were identified as a major private land connector between federal and state wilderness for wild animals to move from south of us (we're in New England) to Canada and back. Between all the neighbors, we protected about 800 or 900 acres of corridor.

But these are all informal agreements.

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@pattykimura informal is better than nothing! It can be a start to something bigger one day, and in the meantime every little bit makes a big difference! 
Show threadSoftspeakMar 1
@mycrowgirl Forehead mosquito bite OR Third Eye unlocked
Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@softspeak lol, third eye swollen from mosquito punch 🤣
Show threadSable Fox - WriterMar 1
@mycrowgirl Bats receive such dislike by humans when those little flying beings are on our side. They perform a thankless public service and entertain with their acrobatics. I've watched them under a dusk to dawn light on the family farm as a child. They are there for an instant then vanish. So magical.
Show threadseachangedMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Have you ever wanted to have banded them?

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1

@seachanged we do not band bats!

Bat banding (for most micro-chiroptera at least) is not recommended as all banding types available are known to have a high injury rate and eventual mortality.

There are methods of ear tattooing or temporary microtransmitters that some researchers can use, but those aren’t really a consideration for small rehabbers like myself.

Show threadseachangedMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Thank-you.

Unsurprisingly, I had no idea that bat banding was very likely to cause injury, but it is well-known among researchers:

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1363/pdf/OF08-1363_508.pdf

"Part 4. Summary of Problems, Recommendations, and Conclusions" is kind of a nightmare to read.

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@seachanged it’s something I never thought through either until I started up with more formal training 😥
Show threadeyajpngMar 1
@mycrowgirl maybe it’s not a mosquito bite—maybe you’re finally turning into a unicorn
Show threadOYGZMar 1
@mycrowgirl I had the privilege of working at a wildlife sanctuary for a time, where I absolutely fell in love with bats and the impact they have on our local ecosystems. You’re doing lovely work!
Show threadFaraiweMar 1
@mycrowgirl
Show threadPacmanMar 1
@mycrowgirl Long ago when camping in Ireland I was washing myself at a spring in the woods and when I emerged I found a bat with folded wings attached by its hooks to the front of my shirt. Assuming it was having its daytime sleep I left it there when I visited the local pub. At the bar the barmaid suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream and stared at my shirt. The bat had awoken and was very slowly spreading its wings as in a horror movie. I took it outside and it flew off into the night.
Show threadjfml - Jonas LaugsMar 1
@pacman @mycrowgirl Wow, you put your on with a bat asleep on it?
Show threadPacmanMar 2
@jfml @mycrowgirl I can't remember. It was decades ago. The spring water was potable (dixit local inhabitants and I survived) and was flowing from an embankment beside a track which was covered over with bushes forming a narrow tunnel. There were hordes of bats constantly flying through the tunnel at dawn and dusk, possibly to drink at the spring when we weren't there collecting water.
Show threadCarsten RaddatzMar 2
A good horror story could start this way. T'was but a scratch, but the mark the bat left also left something else on me...
Show threadCiaraMar 1
@mycrowgirl 💚
Show threadRussMar 1
@mycrowgirl a beautiful perfect post. 💚
Show threadtrack_shovelMar 1
@mycrowgirl with all the white nose out there, they need all the help they can get
Show threadᴮᵉⁿ ᴿᵒʸᶜᵉVOTE IN THE PRIMARIESMar 1

@mycrowgirl

"trying to ignore the mosquito bite in the middle of my forehead"

no you're not, you just released one of the most efficient mosquito devourers into the air. it's on video

🤭

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1
@benroyce My own personal Air Force Yum doing a snacc attacc 🤣
Show threadᴮᵉⁿ ᴿᵒʸᶜᵉVOTE IN THE PRIMARIESMar 1

@mycrowgirl

🦇💪

Show threadGhostOnTheHalfShellMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Those mosquitoes don’t know how much of a stupid move they’re making.

Show threadBowieMar 1

@mycrowgirl needed to see this today! They're adorable🥰

Look, @amorablackrose ! ❤️🦇

Show threadJess MahlerMar 1
@mycrowgirl
Shared gif with kiddo, who is delighted to see rescue bat flying free. Thank you for your amazing work.
Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 2
@JessMahler if you and kiddo are interested in seeing all eight of them fly, I just uploaded a ~10min video to my PeerTube ☺️ https://lone.earth/w/1tJvVGwPt9cBbdn5NdXJFz
ReleaseParty_260228_

PeerTube
Show threadJess MahlerMar 2
@mycrowgirl We'll check it out in the morning.
Thanks!
Show threadMelissa AtwellMar 1
@mycrowgirl I always thank bats for eating the mosquitos🖤