Is that a bird? A bug? Nope—it’s a bat! Around 23 species have been recorded in Nevada, and 17 call Red Rock Canyon home! One of our favorites is this cute little Canyon Bat. 🦇 Formerly called the “Western Pipistrelle,” the Canyon Bat (Parastrellus hesperus) is the smallest bat native to the United States, weighing up to just 6 grams—the same as a quarter! 🦇 Bats aren’t so scary! They are frequently feared or treated as pests, but this is often based on misunderstandings. Bats are a symbol of the spooky season, in part due to a modern association with vampires—even though only three species of bat (none in the US) drink blood, and these don’t regularly target humans. Furthermore, many people believe bats carry dangerous diseases, such as rabies; in reality, less than 1% of bats are rabid, and the odds of getting sick from a bat are extremely low. Bats’ immune systems are actually so powerful that some scientists study them in hopes of learning how to prevent viruses in humans. 🦇 Bats are incredibly important members of our communities. They can eat hundreds of insects in a single night, to the benefit a farmer’s crops or your summer barbeque. Like bees and birds, many bats eat nectar and fruit; in doing so, they spread the pollen and seeds of many plants, including bananas, mangoes, saguaro, cacao, and agave (thank bats for your tequila!). Bat guano (aka droppings) from large cave colonies is a vital source of fertilizer around the world. Bats may serve as indicators of an ecosystem’s health; declines in bat populations have clued us in to harmful pesticides accumulating in a landscape, or changes in local climate. 🦇 We can help take care of bats by installing bat boxes and planting native, night-blooming flowers; leaving natural roosting sites undisturbed; and preventing the spread of bat diseases, such as white-nose syndrome. Next time you’re on an evening stroll, look to the skies and see if you can spot one of these flighted, furry friends! 🦇 #bats #RedRockCanyon #eveningsky #notsospooky 📸 “Canyon bat in flight” JR Manuel, creative commons/iNaturalist 📸 “Bat examined at Red Spring” BLM, taken at a 2019 BioBlitz bat survey