Desmodus rotundus: The Scariest of the Bats
I am the only known parasitic mammal, and therefore am the most evil of all mammals. I roost with my large and fearsome family in the darkest depths. We make our home in caves, where we bond closely with one another. We watch after our own, even those among us that are orphaned. Just because we are the only species of bat to do this doesn't make us nice! Nor does sharing food with friends who are hungry; we can only live for one or two days without eating, so we sometimes share, to our own detriment, with those who do not have enough. Not that this is a nice thing to do! We are pure evil!
I can hear if you are asleep, and smell the warmth of your delicious, blood-filled arteries. You cannot hide, for our vision is also excellent. You will not feel my bite for my teeth are that sharp.
No, it's not a big bite, it doesn't have to be big to be scary. It's a scarily tiny bite, from which I will lap your blood with my specialized tongue. My saliva will help to keep your blood from coagulating, so I can drink up to half my body weight. By the time I'm done I tower before you at a terrifying 1.5 - 2 ounces! And my saliva will help with the treatment of your stroke patients! Fear me!
Chiroptera: The (mostly non-terrifying) Order of Bats
Terrible and terrifying though I may be, others of my order have a different approach, but still get a bad rap. Megabats, my fruit eating kin, and microbats, those that echolocate, help pollinate flowers, spread fruit seeds, and reduce insect populations. I am almost ashamed to say, they are not frightening at all. Though I shudder at the very thought, some might say they are . . . cute. Flying Foxes, the largest of the fruit eating megabats, seem to get along well with your kind:
And 70% of bats are insectavores, grabbing bugs out of the sky in a neat, non-scary fashion:
So, bloodbags, go and live in blissful harmony with these mild, helpful bats, and save your chiroptophobia for the creature that is truly terrifying: the REAL me:
Face your fears and learn more about me and other bats
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bats
- http://www.batconservancy.org/
- http://batconservation.webs.com/batfacts.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGn77KJwa3s