Author Koh Lin â—¦

When we were shown this deceased bat in Alice Springs, which was identified as a Finlayson’s Cave Bat (Vespadelus finlaysoni)… it got us thinking…

Finlayson's Cave Bat (Vespadelus finlaysoni) - deceased, Alice Springs NT
Finlayson’s Cave Bat (Vespadelus finlaysoni) – deceased, Alice Springs NT

what “bats” do we have on the Ausemade… and one of the first links to pop-up was the page on Bats (Chiroptera)… and the beautiful Ghost Bats (Macroderma gigas)

Ghost Bats (Macroderma gigas)
Ghost Bats (Macroderma gigas), Alice Springs NT

Did you know that bats are mammals (in the class Mammalia), that belong to the order Chiroptera, which is divided into three suborders: Megachiroptera, Microchiroptera and Yinpterochiroptera.

Ghost Bats (Macroderma gigas)
Ghost Bats (Macroderma gigas) with prey

Pictured here is the noisy Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) that are often heard along the east coast region in Sydney…

Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW
Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW
Grey-headed Flying Foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW
Grey-headed Flying Foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW

The sweet looking Little Red Flying-Fox (Pteropus scapulatus) in Eidsvold, Queensland…

Little Red Flying-Fox (Pteropus scapulatus), Eidsvold QLD © Tony Eales
Little Red Flying-Fox (Pteropus scapulatus), Eidsvold QLD © Tony Eales
Little Red Flying-Fox (Pteropus scapulatus), Eidsvold QLD © Tony Eales
Little Red Flying-Fox (Pteropus scapulatus), Eidsvold QLD © Tony Eales

The mysterious bats, ignites passion among many with some amazing artworks…

Artist Margaret Worthington - Flying Foxes
Artist Margaret Worthington – Flying Foxes
Fruit bats 1991, artist Lin Onus
Fruit bats 1991, artist Lin Onus, Art Gallery NSW
Fruit bats 1991, artist Lin Onus
Fruit bats 1991, artist Lin Onus, Art Gallery NSW

Did you know there are “Bat flies” that are external parasites of bats, that spend most of their lives on bats, feeding on their blood. They belong to the family Nycteribiidae and the family Streblidae.

Bat Fly, Brisbane QLD © Cindy King
Bat Fly, Brisbane QLD © Cindy King

and in Australia, there is the Batswing Coral Tree

Bat's Wing Coral Tree (Erythrina vespertilio)
Bat’s Wing Coral Tree (Erythrina vespertilio)

Now that is a wrap for the batty bats… 😃

Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas), Alice Springs Desert Park
Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas), Alice Springs Desert Park

Check out other blogs by Koh Lin.