Are Ohio Bats in Danger of Extinction?

Ohio has 11 species of bats and the July 2018 endangered and threatened species list has all 11

Ohio bats listed at some level of threat toward their future. This should be a concern to us because it is a red flag that bats could become a thing of the past if we do not take action today. All Ohio bats are insectivores which means they eat insects. One bat can consume over 1000 insects such as mosquitoes, moths and beetles a night. They are natures form of insect control. If the bats did not exist than we would have a serious economical problem. The insects would cause serious devastation to crops which means the cost of our food would increase dramatically. Farmers would be forced to use more pesticides on crops and we all know how pesticides negatively affect the environment. Human diseases would also increase as many insects transmit diseases to humans. With no bats to control the insects, more humans will now be affected by insect bites.

See complete list on Division of Wildlife website

OHIO ENDANGERED SPECIES

• Indiana myotis - Myotis sodalis (Also on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered list)

OHIO THREATENED SPECIES

• Northern long-eared bat - Myotis septentrionalis (Also on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service threatened list)

OHIO SPECIES OF CONCERN

• Eastern small-footed bat - Myotis leibii
• Rafinesque’s big-eared bat - Corynorhinus rafinesquii
• Little brown bat - Myotis lucifugus
• Big brown bat - Eptesicus fuscus
• Tri-colored bat - Perimyotis subflavus
• Silver-haired bat - Lasionycteris noctivagans
• Red bat - Lasiurus borealis
• Hoary bat - Lasiurus cinereus

OHIO SPECIAL INTERESTS

• Evening bat - Nycticeius humeralis

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Bat numbers are decreasing around the country for several reasons such as white nose syndrome ( a fungus affecting cave dwelling bats), habitat destruction and senseless killing of bats to just name a few.

First, bats are not a threat to humans. Only 3 bat species drink blood and they live in Central and South America. Less than half of 1% bats carry rabies. You actually have a higher chance of a rabies bite from a dog than from bats.

Provide a habitat for bats in your area. You can build/purchase a bat house to install in your yard. Do not place these on trees as bats are open to predators on trees. Place on poles or side of a structure at least 15 feet above ground and a minimum of 6 hours sunlight. Do not get discouraged if bats do not take up residence right away. It can take a few years before bats take up residence in the new home.  Read more.

If you have cats or dogs, make sure they do not disturb the bats on your property. If you find an injured bat, contact your local wildlife rehab center for help.

If you have bats in your attic, do not close them in. Let them leave before closing up their entrance. It is better to call a humane wildlife control agent and let them remove the bats humanely. Also, make sure to provide them with an alternative home before closing up your attic such as a bat house. Read more.

Get involved and learn more about bats. Contact your local department of natural resources, division of wildlife or wildlife rehab centers. Many could use your help and you can learn as you help protect the future of our bats.

Bats do not like disturbances. Human activity can cause them to leave or reject new homes. So make sure they have very little disturbances from humans, pets and wildlife. 

The most important tool we can have to protect our bats is to EDUCATE! Learn what you can about bats and pass your knowledge on to others.  Below are some valuable sites to learn more about bats. Donations are also needed to help continue research and protection.

Bat Conservation International
Bat World Sanctuary
Bat Conservation and Management
Bat Conservation Trust
Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation

The purchase of bat products also help

Bat Goods



DEFINITIONS

ENDANGERED: A native species or subspecies threatened with extirpation from the state. The danger may result from one or more causes, such as habitat loss, pollution, predation, interspecific competition, or disease.

THREATENED: A species or subspecies whose survival in Ohio is not in immediate jeopardy, but to which a threat exists. Continued or increased stress will result in its becoming endangered.

SPECIES OF CONCERN: A species or subspecies which might become threatened in Ohio under continued or increased stress. Also, a species or subspecies for which there is some concern but for which information is insufficient to permit an adequate status evaluation. This category may contain species designated as a furbearer or game species but whose statewide population is dependent on the quality and/or quantity of habitat and is not adversely impacted by regulated harvest.

SPECIAL INTEREST: A species that occurs periodically and is capable of breeding in Ohio. It is at the edge of a larger, contiguous range with viable population(s) within the core of its range. These species have no federal endangered or threatened status, are at low breeding densities in the state, and have not been recently released to enhance Ohio’s wildlife diversity. With the exception of efforts to conserve occupied areas, minimal management efforts will be directed for these species because it is unlikely to result in significant increases in their populations within the state.

Large Flying Fox - Pteropus vampyrus

The flying foxes are fruit bats known as the mega bats of the old world. The name flying fox comes from their fox or dog looking face with pointed ears

As with most species of animals, the best way to determine a species is by their scientific name as in the Large Flying Fox that would be Pteropus vampyrus. The reason is because there can be numerous common names. The Large Flying Fox is also known as the Greater Flying Fox and the Malayan Flying Fox just as a start.

The Large Flying Fox is from the family, Pteropodidae, lives in forests, coconut groves, mixed fruit orchards and other habitats of Southeast Asia.

Though it is not the largest flying fox, that title goes to the Golden Crown, Acerodon jubatu, it does have a wing span around 5 feet with a weight around 2.5 pounds.

The IUCN recently listed this species as Near Threatened due to habitat destruction, hunting and senseless killing as some see them as pests.

My video shows the Large Flying Foxes at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio. You can see them move about the wire ceiling with ease. The bones in their wings are similar to humans. They have all five digits like humans. They can use their legs and their thumb in the wing to hang and move about the ceiling.

Insectary at Ohio State University

I had the opportunity to tour the Insectary at Ohio State University and found it to be very educational. I was able to see insects from around the globe and learn about some of their unique characteristics and habitats. Below are some of the photos I took during my tour.

Click on images to enlarge.

Northern Walkingstick - Diapheromera femorata

The Northern Walkingstick lives in deciduous forest of Canada and the United States including Ohio. This gentle insect can be found with colors from brown to green which helps them hide in the foliage of trees and shrubs. They can grow to about 3-4 inches in length and the male is usually smaller than the female.


Australian Stick Insect - Extatosoma tiaratum

The Australian Stick Insect, also known as the Giant Prickly Stick Insect, can be found in Australia and New Guinea. The larger female has small flightless wings, spines on her body and large lobes on her legs. The smaller male can have smaller spines but is able to fly due to large wings as seen in the fourth photo below. Though they are harmless, the female can resemble a scorpion as she can curl up her tail to ward off predators..


Peruvian Black Velvet Stick Insect - Peruphasma schultei

The Peruvian Black Velvet Stick Insect is named due to their velvety appearance. They live in a very small area in the mountains of Peru. They possess a defense where they can spray a strong smelling substance from a gland at the rear of their head.  Though the spray is harmless, it can cause irritation to the eyes.


Blonde Tarantula - Aphonopelma chalcodes

The Blonde Tarantula can be found in the southwestern United States. Their temperament can vary between individual species though they are mostly a docile tarantula. They can be found living in burrows under rocks or deserted rodent homes. They will eat insects such as beetles, crickets, cicadas and certain lizards. When the tarantula molts, they lie on the back and work their way out of their outer skin which stays in one piece. During molting, the tarantula must be left alone as it may result in death.


Chilean Rose-hair Tarantula - Grammostola rosea

The Chilean Rose-hair Tarantula is from the northern Atacama Desert region in Chile which is a very hot and dry habitat. They hunt at night on insects such as grasshoppers, crickets and locusts. They are a docile spider that can grow to about 5” across and have been found to have a few different color forms.


Vietnamese Orange-legged Centipede - Scolopendra dehaani

The brightly colored Vietnamese Orange-legged Centipede can be found in Vietnam and through-out Southern Asia and can grow up to 8 inches in length. They are a hardy centipede but can be aggressive and deliver a painful bite. A bite can be similar to a bee sting as it can affect people differently but there is no substantiated proof of death from this centipede.

After starting video, click at lower right to enlarge it 
Cameroon Black Train Millipede - Mardonius parilis acuticonus

The shiny, black Cameroon Black Train Millipede loves to climb and can grow to about 9 inches in length. They like to eat fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, oranges and bananas. Millipedes have two sets of legs per segment (centipedes only have one set per segment) and the male has gonopods on the seventh segment instead of legs.


Leach's Millipede - Euryurus leachii

The Leach's Millipede, native to North America, can be found around decaying hardwood logs and stumps near water. They are a species of the flat-backed millipede which means there body segments have wide lateral keels known as paranota. They glow a green/blue fluorescent color under UV light due to a chemical in their exoskeleton.


Emperor or Lobster-Claw Scorpion - Pandinus imperator

The Emperor Scorpion is the largest (not the longest) of the scorpions that range in color from dark blue/green to black. They have sensory hairs on the pincers and tail to help them detect prey through air and ground vibrations which is needed since they have poor eye sight. They eat insects, other arachnids, small rodents and lizards. Scorpions can glow a green/blue color under a UV light (black light) or natural moonlight which comes from a substance in the hyaline layer which is part of the exoskeleton called the cuticle.  It is not fully understood why they do this.


Striped Bark Scorpion - Centuroides vittatus

The Striped Bark Scorpion is the most common scorpion in the United States and found in the crevices of rocky areas, forests and human structures. They will climb and can be found in the attic of homes. It can inflict a painful sting but the venom is not as potent as other scorpions. It can grow up to around 3 inches in length.


Whip Scorpion - Mastigoproctus giganteus

The only whip scorpion found in the United States is also known as vinegaroon or grampus. They do not have the venom stinger found in most scorpions or the venom bite found in most spiders, but they have a long, thin caudal appendage which gives them the name, whip scorpion. The name, vinegaroon, comes from their ability to spray acetic acid from base of whip like tail. They can be found in grasslands, pine forests, scrub and barrier islands.

After starting video, click at lower right to enlarge it


Tailless Whip Scorpion - Damon diadema

Tailless Whip Scorpion, from east coast of Africa, live near cave entrances in large groups. They can grow through-out their life but molt more at a younger age. After molting they will have a white appearance and quickly turn a greenish color after a few hours. It is during these times when they are highly vulnerable. After a few days they return to their normal appearance and lifestyle. 


Madagascar Hissing Cockroach - Gromphadorhina portentosa

One of the largest species or roaches, the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is found on the forest floors of Madagascar. They do not have wings but are able to climb smooth surfaces due to pads and hooks on their feet. The males have large bumps behind their head which are smaller on the female. These are known as pronatal humps.


Large or Greater Milkweed Bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus

The Large or Greater Milkweed Bug is found through-out the United States in fields with milkweed or dogbane and feed off the seeds, stems and leaves of the milkweed. The adult males have a black band on the ventral side of the fourth abdominal segment and the adult female has two black spots in that location


Eastern Subterranean Termite - Reticulitermes flavipes

The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the most common termite in North America and considered a pest due to the amount of wood it destroys. A colony can range from 20,000 to 5 million workers which can cause an economical disaster. Termites use pheromones to communicate with each other. A chemical in ink mimics these pheromones. The termites are attracted to the pheromones and start to follow the ink trail but what they are actually doing is following the “false” pheromones trail.

After starting video, click at lower right to enlarge it


Flesh Fly - Sarcophaga bullata

We tend to think of flies as an insect with no purpose and the planet would be better without them. Flies do eat decaying matter and use it to lay their eggs. But flies are also food for other animals. The Flesh Fly has been used in forensic entomology as the maggots in decaying bodies can be used to determine time of death of a person.

Networking Tips and Advice

Networking is a great tool on building friends and connections within your industry. It is not hard to network but it does require time.

• Create a professional email that will be used exclusively for correspondence. If you have a URL, most packagers also offer the ability to set up emails under your URL. If not, you may create one with Google. Make sure it is professional and does not resemble spam emails. Create a professional signature in your email. Along with your name, include one link to a professional page about you such as your blog or LinkedIn profile.

• You should have business cards to hand out  at events, meetings or when you are just out. I recommend Vista Print as I have used them many times and the cards are high quality and look professional.

• Attend events! Attend events! Attend events! My interest is with the environment so I look for any and all environmental related events. Speak to people at these events and get contact names. Those names do you no good if you do not follow up with them later. Do not wait too long to follow up. You need to follow up while they still remember you - send them your blog or LinkedIn link when you contact them.

• A few ways to find events are signing up for newsletters on field related websites and by doing Google searches. Many events will also have information on other upcoming events. You will also learn about events as you talk to other people.

• Conduct informational interviews. Contact people in your field asking for informational interviews. I actually contact them by email so that I have a record. If you do not know who to contact, call and ask. If you email them, include links to your blog or LinkedIn profile so they can read about you before the interview. Dress professionally at the interview as you would for a job interview. Remember, this is an informational interview so do not ask for a job. Before you leave, ask them if they can provide you with another person you may talk to. Always leave with another lead. Very Important!

• Volunteer with companies or causes within your field of interest. Be active and get noticed. Do not go out with an ego but do make your self stand out. Check out websites of related companies as some may offer volunteer opportunities. If in question, contact the company.

• Join social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook. LinkedIn is a professional network where you can connect with others related to your field. Design your profile to look professional which means photos and posts. Start posting things that are related to your field. Make your posts look like you know what you are talking about. This is your chance to show your knowledge. This is not Facebook so do not post irrelevant material. Respond to post placed by your connections. Again, show your knowledge. I am talking about an actual response, not just hitting the "like" button. You do not need to respond to every post because you do not want to come off as a know it all. Connect with those in your field, especially those with titles such as supervisor, director, manager and so forth.

• Google search companies that are related to your field, locate them on LinkedIn and follow them. Also, connect with employees at the company on LinkedIn. You can also do a company search on LinkedIn and it will show you people who work at that company. Connect with them. 

• LinkedIn will eventually recommend contacts based on your current connections. Start connecting with these people. Look at where they work and start making a list of these companies. This will help you build a list of potential companies for your job search.

• Join pages and groups on Facebook related to your field. Follow the same process for posting as you would on LinkedIn. Stay professional.

• Create a blog (like this one) to show off your knowledge. Blogger is free and has many tools to design what you want. Again, keep it professional and easy to read and find information. Make sure to provide easy to find contact information. Add a page about you and a page where visitors can find your work such as a portfolio page.

• Depending on your field, you can create videos and put them on You Tube. You can place these videos on your blog. Keep videos on a specific topic and use them to show your knowledge. Do not just talk about what you know on videos. This is your platform to show what you know. You can dress down in your videos and wear clothes related to field. Make sure to provide contact information on your videos or in description box below videos. This can be a link to your blog or LinkedIn page where you have your email. The video serves no purpose if you do not offer viewers any means to contact you. Share your videos!

If you follow these steps you will quickly build a strong network. The first step starts with you.

Educating Publc about Bats

Earth day comes once a year and I decided to take this time to pass out literature about bats including white nose syndrome to the public. Bats have such a bad rap and I wanted to help reduce that negative perspective many have about bats.

I handed out numerous pamphlets and most people accepted it. There were a few that enjoy living the life of ignorance and there is nothing we can do to change that.

I was surprised how many people had installed bat boxes and some were active with bats.  I explained to many how they can build or purchase bat boxes and where to find information on how to correctly install them.

I believe I successfully spread the positive word about bats and hope many went home with a better understanding about bats and how important they are to the ecosystem.

If you live in Ohio and would like to volunteer monitoring bat roost, the blink below will take you to ODNR website where you can sign up to help.

Volunteer Bat Roost Monitoring

2018 Earth Day Events: Columbus, Ohio

Earth Day 2018 is coming up. What are you going to do to take part and help protect your planet and community? There are events such as festivals, tree planting and litter clean ups all over the country.

This is a list I put together with links for some events taking place in the Columbus and surrounding areas. Most are free but make sure to check before heading out to a certain event. Make sure to volunteer as many events can use your help! If you cannot attend an event, make your own event. Get some of your friends and just get out and clean up your neighborhood.

Volunteer for Earth Day

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Tunes & Togetherness with Goodwill: 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Friday, April 20, 2018

Bioblitz at Highbanks: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Kenny Park Tree Planting: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sharon Woods Earth Day Clean Up: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Bioblitz at Highbanks: 6:30 am - 12:00 pm
Windsor STEM Elementary School and Rosewind Commons Tree Planting: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
NBSA Earth Day Event (Street Clean Up): 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Earth Day at the Crest Gastropub: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Ganthers Place Earth Day Clean-Up: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Earth Day for Kids: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Sunday, April 22, 2018 - EARTH DAY

Blendon Woods Earth Day Night Hike: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Carmack Woods Tree Planting: 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
Earth Day Celebration at Genoa Park: 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Interfaith Day of Community Service: 12:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Battelle Darby Creek Earth Day Celebration - Cruddy Creek: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Battelle Darby Creek Earth Day Celebration: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Battelle Darby Creek Celebration - Nature Art Workshop: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Lettuce Celebrate Earth Day: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Check put the Metro Parks schedule to find additional events taking place this week

Help Protect our Bats

We are losing bats by the millions in our country due to "White Nose Syndrome."

They are important to help control insects that destroy crops, pollinate plants and much more. It is up to us to make sure they have a future.

Make a donation today to the Bat Conservation International who is the largest support of bat conservation in the world.

Bat Conservation International