In fact they are warm-blooded mammals just like us with good eyesight, they have soft fur, suckle their young with milk and they groom themselves every day. They are also long lived (Greater Horseshoe Bats can live for up to 30 years!), intelligent and have complex social lives.

All bats and their roosts are protected by law. It is an offence to:

•  intentionally kill, injure, catch or sell bats;

•  damage or destroy roost sites;

•  disturb bats by entering a known roost or hibernation site

If you have bats in your house and are worried about them, contact English Nature for free advice (see link to web site).

Bat's knees bend in the opposite directions to ours! This is so their leg, feet and tail assembly can be moved into position as they fly towards their perch, they then twist and flick themselves into position. In winter when insects are scarce, bats hibernate in cool dark places. They actually slow down their heart beat to only a few beats per minute. They cool down their body temperature to conserve energy and make their body's food reserves last. Occasionally they may wake up and take short flights during hibernation, especially during milder weather – the first thing they do is have a wee!

Baby bats are born upside down. Mum uses her wings as safety net. The babies have fully formed adult feet (that look huge on them!) and clawed thumbs to cling on to mum and onto wall/roof when she goes out feeding. Bat's claws on their feet are so large and curved that they can hang upside down safely even when asleep or hibernating – some also stay hanging after they have died!

Sources:

Bat Conservation Trust

Devon Bat Group