TIMOTHY DALY: Despite misconceptions, bats are beneficial

Bats evoke strong emotions in people. Some people love to have them around, while others prefer to watch them only on television documentaries. Here are some “bat facts” that may help you appreciate this flying wonder better.

Many fallacies exist concerning bats, often from horror movies that characterize bats as vicious, rabid, annoying, and creepy. Bats can make good neighbors. They are often living in your neighborhood without you knowing it. They fly and feed at night and roost in trees and buildings during the day. Bats are not blind but see using sonar (seeing by means of sound waves) to locate the insects they eat. The large ears are part of the sonar system. Finally, all bats are not rabid. They get rabies just like people, cats, dogs, raccoons, foxes, etc. However, they do not get it more often than other animals. Avoid sick bats and be careful about good ones; you should be fine.