Bat Myths and Truths
Myth: Bats are just flying mice.
Truth: Bats are not rodents. Bats are classified in their own order of
mammals called Chiroptera, which translates as “hand-wing.”
Bat Pollinator
*PUZZLES *GAMES *COLORING PAGES
Myth: All bats have rabies.
Truth: All mammals can contract rabies; however the vast majority of bats
do not. Bats that contract the virus die from the disease. Never pick up, handle
or play with a bat.
Myth: Bats get tangled in your hair.
Truth: Bats don’t build nests and have little interest in our hair.
Myth: Bats attack people.
Truth: Bats are afraid of humans and try to stay away from people
as best they can.
Myth: Bats suck blood.
Truth: Only 3 of the more than 1,300 kinds of bats in the world are vampire
bats. And even those don’t “suck” blood, but lap it like a cat laps milk.
Vampire bats live in Mexico, Central America and South America.
Myth: Bats are pests.
Truth: Bats are the ones that eat the pests–insects! One insect-eating bat
can eat ¾ of their body weight in insects in one night.
Myth: Bats are dirty.
Truth: Bats groom themselves just like cats and are very clean.
Myth: Bats are blind.
Truth: All bats can see. Many types of bats have small eyes and use
echolocation to navigate, but they aren’t blind.
Find out more about bats at www.batcon.org
Activity Book
Decode the symbols to find a fun fact about bats. Fill in the blanks with the
letter that matches each picture from the box at the bottom of the page.
Draw a Picture
Bats are the only pollinators of the agave plant. Agaves grow beautiful yellow
flowers and provide juice and sugar. Finish the picture by drawing a mirror
image of the bat with the agave plant.
1
=A 1 =B =E
=F =G =I
=L =O =P
= R =S =T
=V =W
BATS GIVE FLOWERS POWER
Word Search
Did you know that 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers? Find
Connect the Dots
Connect the dots to create a picture. Start at 1, then 2 and 3.
and circle the 10 plant words hidden in this puzzle. All these plants rely on bats.
Words may be found across, down and diagonally. 1
Y G A A V A U G U J 2
43
L Q B M G A E H S Q
3
42
Y J G A S I J N N M 14
15
16
13
41
M Y S Q B V U X G F 4
12
17
40
M E G X K O Z W D Q 18
39
O V I U A N A N A B 19
20
11
M A F T W F W B T S 5 6
7
21
38
8 10
V G G W E H S A C X 9 22
37 23
M A M A N G O F R C
24
B G J X U I P G P O 36
31 25
32 30
35
1. Banana 5. Figs 29 26
34
2. Mango 6. Baobab
27
33
3. Guava 7. Agave 28
4. Shea 8. Cashew
COLOR BY NUMBER POLLINATOR MAZE
Mexican long-tongued bats love to drink lots of nectar from
Color Code agave and saguaro cactus flowers. Help the hungry long-tongued
1 = Brown 2 = Black 3 = Yellow bat find his flower buffet!
4 = Red 5 = Green 6 = Blue
2 2
1 3 1
2
2
2 1
1
1 6
6 1 6
6
6 6
1
4 4
4 4
4 4
4 4
4
3 4 6 4
4 4 3 4
4 4 4 4
4 4 4
4
4 4
6 4 6
6 4 6
5
5 5
5
5 5 5
5
5 5
5 5
BATVENGER HUNT
Solve the crossword using the clues below that describe 1. Can you find a pollinating bat?
characteristics of bat-pollinated flowers. (Hint: look at pictures and videos)
a. How do they gather nectar? (Circle correct answers)
TONGUE PROBOSCIS HAIR FINGERS
b. How do they transfer pollen from flower to flower? (Circle the correct answer)
FUR FEATHERS SCALES SUITCASE
2. Look for a flower that is bat-pollinated. Draw it here:
a. Circle two characteristics of a bat-pollinated flower:
Opens in Day Light-colored Opens at Night Dark-colored
b. Flowers make themselves attractive to their pollinators. What would a
flower need to attract you to it to make you a “You-Pollinator”?
(Example: Smells like cotton candy, colors like pink)
Across 3. Can you find 2 things people use that are products of bat pollination?
2. dry ecosystem with lots of sand and cactus Draw them here:
5. strong smell
6. very light-colored
Down
1. sweet liquid pollinating bats love
3. opposite of daytime
4. big Which is your favorite?
WHICH ONE
Cross out the word BATS every time you see it in the box. When you reach
DOESN’T BELONG?
a letter that does not belong, write it in the circles below to reveal the Bats are helpful and they pollinate many things we eat every day.
secret message. Circle the items that are pollinated by bats and cross out
the items that are not pollinated by bats.
BANANA
GUAVA
HONEY
MANGO
CASHEW PLANT
CHOCOLATE
WHAT’S THE SECRET MESSAGE?
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the biggest threats to pollinating bats is habitat loss. Their habitat is
made up of their food, water and somewhere to sleep or hide. Development is
a major cause of the loss of their habitat.
What do you think would happen if there were less or even no bat pollinators?
What do you think you could do to help bat pollinators?
SAVE BAT HABITAT
BE A BAT HERO
