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Bats: Sciathán Leathair.

Bats make up a quarter of all land mammals in Ireland. Though they are compared to mice, they are unrelated, coming from the chicoptera family (meaning hand-wing). After a long pregnancy, one offspring is born. Bats travel unimpeded in the dark by 'echo-location' - emission of a high pitched note which bounces off an object in its path and is picked up as an echo within a distance of about 2 metres. They will head towards an insect that is moving but avoid a stationary object. Underwater whales and dolphins also used this method and it is adapted for use in medicine and modern technology. Their high frequency squeaks can be heard by children sometimes, and a detector is used to locate them.

There are more than 1,000 species in the world, seven of which are found in Ireland. lesser horseshoe - rhinolophus hipposideros; leisler's - nyctalus leisleri; longeared - plecotus auritus; pipistrelle - pipistrellus pipistrellus; natterer's - myotis nattereri; whiskered - myotis mystacinus; daubdenton's - myotis daubentoni (all are small, the smallest weight less than 8gms and the largest weighs less than 2Ogms).

The lesser horseshoe bat is common here in South Mayo, as well as its typically large ears it has a prominent horseshoe like growth on the muzzle. living in small colonies, it nests with its wings wrapped around its body and hangs quite freely from a ledge, whereas all other bats prefer to hang against a vertical surface. Bats can live in towns, villages, woodlands, marshes, caves, orchards and can be seen catching insects in flight near water.

They hibernate from October to March and if disturbed several times, they may die as its fat reserves may be all used up. They are an endangered species in Europe, due to the loss of

woodland and chemical wood treatments which can kill them.

Because of their secretive habits, dark colouring, evil looking faces, bats have been disliked and feared, especially the vampire bat whose diet is exclusively blood! In Irish they are called 'puca na hoiche, and bis dorcha' which highlights their popularity! There is no truth in the belief that they entangle themselves in a woman's hair!

In common with many other nocturnal animals, bats do not possess colour vision, however 'as blind as a bat' is misleading as their level of vision recognises landmarks in their surroundings and distinguishes the changes in light intensity at sunset and sunrise.

Bats are extremely beneficial because they consume large numbers of insects, including some pest species.

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