Are these pups playing tag or is this a jam session?  Mexican free-tailed bats have been documented to jam each other’s echolocation signals when competition for food gets intense (see Aaron Corcoran’s research at http://sonarjamming.com) .  Do eastern red bats do the same in similarly competitive situations?  Here in the flight cage, there are not enough  moths for all the 30 plus flying rehab bats. Is this pup following his sibling to practice jamming his call and stealing the moth?  Or just playing?

austin bat presentations outreach educaation talks

austin bat education presentations outreach talks


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.


Great emergence at Congress Avenue Bridge tonight.  Great fun talking to the tourists from all over the world. Especially the wonderful family from New Jersey whose daughter is going for her Girl Scout Silver Award by creating this website https://sites.google.com/site/maketheworldabattierplace/ Check it out!


They are multi-national, with family from Italy, Spain, and Venezuela and we had great fun surfing Google Earth together. Thanks y’all!
Mount Roraima, Venezuela!


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!