This week in bat adventures… we didn’t actually make it out for any, well, bat adventures. However, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole on bat researchers and wanted to share what I found! I also threw in some books you might find interesting.

Famous bat researchers:

If you are anything like me and my love of bats, you will also want to know about famous bat researchers. There are many out there, all over the world, who continue until this day, to educate themselves and others about the magical flying creature.

Below is a short list of some researchers you should know about. Because of them, we know more about bats than ever before. Seriously, read up about them, you will learn many new things about bats!

Dr. Brock Fenton, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, Western University and Dr. Bonnie Schmidt, Founder and CEO, Let’s Talk Science, will deliver our invited lectures at OBD 2019. {source Western Science} https://www.uwo.ca/biology/directory/emeritus/fenton.html

Gerrit S. Miller JR. (December 6, 1869 – February 24, 1956) was an outstanding early twentieth century bat biologist at the Smithsonian Institution. Miller’s work on the evolutionary relationships of chiropteran families and genera to one another still strongly influences taxonomic thinking about bats today. {source North American Society for Bat Research – https://www.nasbr.org/miller}

Thomas H. Kunz (June 11, 1938 – April 13, 2020) was an American biologist specializing in the study of bats. He was credited with coining the study of aeroecology; additionally, he wrote several fundamental textbooks and publications on bat ecology. {source Wikipedia} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kunz

Donald Redfield Griffin (August 3, 1915 – November 7, 2003) was an American professor of zoology at various universities who conducted seminal research in animal behavior, animal navigation, acoustic orientation and sensory biophysics. In 1938, while an undergraduate at Harvard University, he began studying the navigational method of bats, which he identified as animal echolocation in 1944. In The Question of Animal Awareness (1976), he argued that animals are conscious like humans. Griffin was the originator of the concept of mentophobia: the denial of the consciousness of other animals by scientists. {source Wikipedia} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Griffin

Books about bats:

The Families and Genera of Bats, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/16306

The Bat Scientists by Mary Kay Carson https://sciencemeetsadventure.com/the-bat-scientists/index.html

Each time I post, I am going to also suggest music that goes with bat adventures! Today I’m suggesting

Bats: A World of Science and Mystery by M. Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/bats-a-world-of-science/9780226065120-item.html

Type of bats: N/A
No. Mosquito bites: 0

Here is a link I’ve created to all of our bat sightings.

Important: Do not handle bats. They can carry the rabies virus. Only those who have been properly vaccinated and have knowledge of bats should be handling them. If you find a bat in your home call a bat rescue. Do not call an exterminator, call a rescue. Bats are important for our environment. I have links below for rescues.

Types of bats in Ontario: https://onnaturemagazine.com/bat-guide.html
High Park Nature Centre: https://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Mammals.Bats
Bat rescues: http://www.ontariowildliferescue.ca/wildlifecentres/?care=bat

Happy International Goth Day!

If you met me on the street today, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you I was Goth. All dressed in a plaid chambray gauze fit and flare dress, hair in a high ponytail, I’m more of a vision of a hot summer day in 1950. Even for those who question if I am, I will always be Goth. The clothing may change, but what I feel in my my dark heart, never will.

Not everyone continues to dress Goth their entire lives. Many of us transition to more of a vintage look, with some Goth thrown in. My Gothy wardrobe will start reappearing when Fall hits. It happens, we grow, change and try out other things. Don’t be afraid to explore what amazements are out there!

I’ve tried to find some pictures of me as a Goth, but I’m so Goth… I can’t find any. Maybe, like a vampire, I don’t show up on film. Here is a picture of a bat instead.

So…. where have I been? Didn’t I say I would restart blogging again at the beginning of May. Yes, yes, I did. I just wasn’t feeling it. I have been writing/editing the required changes to my novel, so creativity has been happening, I just haven’t wanted to blog. Additionally, I think Covid fatigue has sucked away some of that desire to put my thoughts down onto a screen. I’m getting back around to it, especially now that it’s warm enough again to go on Bat Adventures.

We are so close to being on the other side of this pandemic. I’m really hoping that people co-operate and follow the restrictions this long weekend. I would be heart-broken if a post Victoria Day long weekend caused a surge sending us two steps or how it really feels, two miles back. We hit 60% 1st vaccination and 190K doses given yesterday for Ontario and the numbers on steadily dropping for new cases and hospitalization. I keeping hoping that this continues!

And yes… Bat Adventures begin again now! I’ve got fresh batteries in the bat detector and we will be doing some nightly walks starting this weekend!

Here is a link I’ve created to all of our bat sightings.

Important: Do not handle bats. They can carry the rabies virus. Only those who have been properly vaccinated and have knowledge of bats should be handling them. If you find a bat in your home call a bat rescue. Do not call an exterminator, call a rescue. Bats are important for our environment. I have links below for rescues.

Types of bats in Ontario: https://onnaturemagazine.com/bat-guide.html
High Park Nature Centre: https://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Mammals.Bats
Bat rescues: http://www.ontariowildliferescue.ca/wildlifecentres/?care=bat

There are sooooo many false facts about bats out there. Too many in fact. I thought I would post some of the main ones here. I have also included links to articles with even more information. Please take time to read and enjoy them!

Bat will fly into your hair FALSE! Bats use echolocation to get around. This prevents them from flying into things.

Bats are good for the environment and the ecosystem! TRUE! The bat population helps to control flying pests such as mosquitoes.

Bats turn into vampires! FALSE! This is a thing of fiction. Movies such as Dracula helped to fuel this myth.

Bats are flying mammals. TRUE! Not only are they mammals and I’m sure not everyone will agree with me, but I think they are adorable!

All bats carry rabies. FALSE Yes, bats can carry rabies and if you are bitten, scratched or come into contact with a bat you need to get a rabies shot. However, not all bats are carriers. Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

They are blind. FALSE! Bats use echolocation to navigate and find food, but they can also see and have well developed eyes.

Bats are bad luck! FALSE! In fact, I personally think, if you see one, you are truly lucky!

Type of bats: Large Brown bats
No. Mosquito bites: 0

Here is a link I’ve created to all of our bat sightings.

Important: Do not handle bats. They can carry the rabies virus. Only those who have been properly vaccinated and have knowledge of bats should be handling them. If you find a bat in your home call a bat rescue. Do not call an exterminator, call a rescue. Bats are important for our environment. I have links below for rescues.

Types of bats in Ontario: https://onnaturemagazine.com/bat-guide.html
High Park Nature Centre: https://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Mammals.Bats
Bat rescues: http://www.ontariowildliferescue.ca/wildlifecentres/?care=bat

How many bats does it take to make me happy? All of the bats! All. Of. The. Bats! Yes, I’m a bit batty. See what I did there… Right… Back to bats. I’ve been thinking a lot about bats from more a creative view. We see them in movies, songs and on t-shirts. Their imagery is everywhere, but, what about bats in historical pieces of art or art in general. Cats, dogs, birds and insects show up all of the time in art, but, do bats? They sure do!

Japan Bat appear in a lot of Japanese art. The images can be both terrifying and humorous.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Bats and Umbrellas, 1882

Utagawa Hiroshige – Bats, Japan, 1840-1850

There are thousands of vintage bat illustrations. I use them all of the time in my bat posts. They are my absolute favourite!

Ariel on a Bat That’s right, bats also appear in religious art, medieval art and art of all of the ages!

If you want to read more about bats in art, I have included a few links below to amazing articles on that subject!

http://blog.healthywildlife.ca/a-short-history-of-bats-in-art/

https://www.leidenartsinsocietyblog.nl/articles/from-bad-to-good-looking-at-the-bat-in-art-and-natural-history

https://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Animals/Wild-Animals/Bats.html

https://hyperallergic.com/406164/why-chinese-art-is-swarming-with-colonies-of-tiny-bats/

https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2008/12/09/ancient-australian-rock-art-depicts-unknown-bats/

Each time I post, I am going to also suggest music that goes with bat adventures! Today I’m suggesting Shook Boys!

Type of bats: Big Brown Bats
No. Mosquito bites: 0 (not sure how I’ve made it this far without getting bit, the bats are doing their work!)

A side note. Since May long weekend it has been non stop fireworks every, single night. Then Canada Day and now the fireworks are even crazier every night. Fireworks not only affect pets, please remember is scares the wildlife as well! I haven’t seen as many bats in our hood and I attribute it to all of the loud noises. Please stop!

Here is a link I’ve created to all of our bat sightings.

Important: Do not handle bats. They can carry the rabies virus. Only those who have been properly vaccinated and have knowledge of bats should be handling them. If you find a bat in your home call a bat rescue. Do not call an exterminator, call a rescue. Bats are important for our environment. I have links below for rescues.

Types of bats in Ontario: https://onnaturemagazine.com/bat-guide.html
High Park Nature Centre: https://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Mammals.Bats
Bat rescues: http://www.ontariowildliferescue.ca/wildlifecentres/?care=bat