More on Bats - Wordsmith.org

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Wish I could remember who suggested a "nocturne of bats" on AWAD. In trying to find some more intesting photographs of bats, I came across this list with one family name having the word vesper in it, which is nice:

Information on Amazonian Bats (arranged by family):

Rhynchonycteris Naso

- small
- live in rocky crevices, caves, trees, hollow logs
- have more exposed roosts than most other bat families
- some species live in year-round stable harems, with 2-8 females per male

Noctilionidae

- feed on insects, some species on fish and frogs
- roost near water, in hollow trees, and in deep cracks in rocks
- the Noctilio leporinus species can swim

Mormoopidae

- small - medium size
- insectivorous
- sometimes roost in large colonies, sometimes exclusively in caves
- Pteronotus parnellii species eats only moths, butterflies, and beetles

Natalidae

- small
- often roost in caves or mines
- have social groups that range in size from very large to less than ten
- eat exclusively small insects

Furipteridae

- very small
- insectivorous (mainly butterflies and moths)
- live in colonies of about 100 to 150 individuals, sometimes more than 300
- live in mainly in caves, occasionally in moist areas or logs

Thyropteriae

- small
- have suction cups on wrists and ankles
- roost head up, inside tubes formed as young banana/heliconia leaves unfurl
- Thyroptera discifera species is insectivorous
- Thyroptera tricolor species
- predators don't usually notice this species
- consumes 1 gram of insects a night

Vespertilionidae

- largest family of bats (in number) with 318 species
- huge variation in characteristics
- mainly roost in caves

Molossidae

- small to moderately large
- insectivorous, catch prey on wing

Retrieved from:

http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2006/teams/r4/batsindicator.html

Despite the fact that there are two species of bat (this from memory) in New Zealand, and that bats actually represent the only native land mammals in New Zealand, I've never seen a NZ bat. The first bats I ever saw were in a zoo, and they were Australian bats!

I always thought that they were awkward flyers, but David Attenborough came to their rescue and demonstrated through very clever camera work just how deft and accurate they are in the air. Oh well!

I'm glad you brought this one back up, Cap. I had been so interested in the Vesper* family that I hadn't read with care about a more interesting family, the members of whom rest in unfurling banana leaves:

Thyropteriae

- small
- have suction cups on wrists and ankles
- roost head up, inside tubes formed as young banana/heliconia leaves unfurl

Posted By: Capfka Re: More on Bats - 05/26/03 07:16 PM

How the hey do they do that on motor scooters?

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: More on Bats - 05/26/03 07:27 PM

How the hey do they do that on motor scooters?

they Puch-er up...

Posted By: wwh Re: More on Bats - 05/26/03 11:53 PM

Capfka doesn't know the differerence between a Italina wasp
and a Sicilian Vesper.

Posted By: Faldage Re: More on Bats - 05/27/03 10:19 AM

difference between a wasp and a vesper

Common problem among the non-rhotic. He got badly stung by a woman of the evening once, long, long time ago.

Posted By: Capfka Re: More on Bats - 05/27/03 10:52 AM

Yes, I always thought that singing vespas was a bit of a pain ... you burn your lips on the exhaust pipe ...

Posted By: Wordwind Re: More on Bats - 05/27/03 08:51 PM

Don't you think once in while ron-o would just make an appearance and explain all these esoteric conversations to the World at Large? I, for one, wouldn't mind old ronnie-oh-ee-oh doing that once in a while.

[twiddling-my-thumbs-e]

Posted By: tsuwm Re: More on Bats - 05/27/03 10:20 PM

it should really be quite casual to the obvious observer that ofttimes when Capfka wanders into a thread it goes all pear-shaped. hth.
-ron o.

Posted By: wwh Re: More on Bats - 05/28/03 01:09 AM

Goody,goody! Let's you and him fight. ( but not a flame war)

Posted By: Capfka Re: More on Bats - 05/28/03 01:10 AM

Ah, just in the nick of time. My verbal parachute!

Posted By: consuelo Clue #1 - 05/31/03 04:54 AM

http://www.vespa.org/

Posted By: consuelo Clue #2 - 05/31/03 05:04 AM

I think it just sachs when the in-jokes go *fffffffwmmmp� over the head

http://sportsbay.com/posters.html

Posted By: Capfka Re: Clue #2 - 05/31/03 10:50 AM

The last Putsch I had any interest in happened in Munich in 1923. It wasn't a notable success. At the time.

Oh, and by the way Mike ... brrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaphhhhhh�!