Action under the black light last night. Moths attracted by the garden, moth pheromones, night-blooming plants, and the water all tend to congregate around the blacklight.
Our juvenile bats fly in wide loops tangent to the light and hope they time it right so they get the chance to practice their hunting skills.
This eastern red girl is from the family brought in by Evan Alcantara from Salem Hill Drive in Austin.
They have thrived here at the Refuge given a second chance and we’re thrilled that they’ll be back out in the wild as soon as the weather breaks.
Here she’s performing a flip-turn at the palm fronds as she shreds the flight cage.
Gabe supervises the planting of the Moth Garden!
Thanks to the wonderful Teresa Nichta for securing the donation of all those night-blooming plants from Barton Springs Nursery!
And for working so hard to revitalize the garden beds after the long dry summer!
Eastern red family still hanging together even though only one is still nursing. They love each other’s company and only split up for a little while when the heat of the afternoon is just too much. Watch for the yawning pup and top and the squirrel on the tree limb! The squirrels have been loving the misters and frequently come to lick condensation of the netting!
Gonna be a hot one little pups – Hydrate! You on the left, you’re obviously drinking on the wing just fine!
The eastern red pups are growing up fast! Is it just us, or do they look like happy little bats?
Growing up fast!
This eastern red pup is one of the four pups that Laurie rescued. He was found with his mum on the ground near their house. They would all have died without her taking time from her busy day to care for this family in need. Thanks so much Laurie!
Here one of the boys catches a moth in his tail membrane. They are growing up and going from little fluff balls to bad-ass bug killing predators.
This eastern red pup is working on her flight skills, hoping to become as accomplished as the mum in the background.
Many pups at this time of year simply flutter-putter around in a straight line as they circle the cage.
They need to emulate the adults amazing aerodynamics to successfully avoid predators upon release.
The Lasiurine bats, including this eastern red bat female, use their furry tail as a blanket, poncho, and cloaking device to keep warm, dry, and hidden while they hang from the foliage. The foot is just big enough to wrap around the stem of a leaf, and they’ll tuck under leaves to keep cool and hide from birds. They hide their wings and head as they curl up into that long tail, and, hanging from one foot, look like nothing more than a fuzzy ball on a stem, a dead leaf, or a pinecone.
As such, they are bat buds, sleeping all day then blooming at dark to transform into voracious predators of night flying insects.
This beauty is a juvenile, almost full-sized, soon to be released into the wild. We know her from her white mark on the ear, designating her as our 99th intake this year back on June 23rd. We’ve taken in 35 more in the last few weeks, making designing unique marks a challenge!
These Eastern red bat pups find their mum each morning, even though only two are still nursing. Orphan Michelle on top right has adopted the family!
In the wild, when pups start wrestling , as pups will, birds (especially grackles and bluejays) take notice and attack them. The mum is forced to fly off with all those heavy pups clinging to her. People find the exhausted mum and her pups in a ball and bring them to us. We give the pups a chance grow into self-sufficient young adults, hunting and drinking on the wing, before release, usually with a few weeks. What a privilege to get to share a bond with these amazing creatures, before they resume their wild and free lives!