Come visit the Valley’s secretive flying residents

Did you know that bats are the slowest-reproducing mammals on earth for their size?

Or that every night bats provide free insect-control services to the Valley of the Sun?

Come learn about and even experience these amazing but misunderstood flying mammals during the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s free bat workshop Friday evening, Sept. 12 in Phoenix in the Biltmore area – you’ll even get to use special night vision and ultrasound listening equipment.

The workshop will provide you the opportunity to watch an amazing sight as thousands of Mexican free-tail bats exit their roost in the evening at Phoenix’s largest bat colony, near the renowned Biltmore area. The program begins at 6:15 p.m. with a talk by bat biologists and an opportunity to see live bats up close. Participants will then watch the mass exodus of bats using special night vision equipment while hearing the bat’s inaudible echolocation sounds thanks to special ultrasonic sound equipment.

“Bats are plagued by a lot of inaccurate myths,” says Angela McIntire, Arizona Game and Fish Department bat management coordinator. “But, they do so many good things like helping protect agricultural crops and our backyards from being overrun by pesky insects.”

Arizona is home to 28 bat species, including two nectar-feeding bat species that pollinate plants like the saguaro and agaves.

Mexican free-tailed bats are found throughout Arizona in the summer and most migrate south in the winter. This widespread bat has a wingspan of 11 to 13 inches. It roosts in caves and tunnels, but can also be found in crevices of bridges and buildings.

Bats are most frequently observed between April and October, but many species are active year-round in the state. They are the only mammal that can truly fly and, contrary to popular myth, bats are not blind.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet some of the Valley’s more secretive residents who prefer the night life. The event is free to the public. Educators are also encouraged to attend and receive continuing education credit.

Those attending the workshop should park in the retail parking lot on the southwest corner of 40th Street and Camelback Road, walk north along 40th Street, and then proceed west on the north side of the canal until they reach the Maricopa County Flood Control District tunnel. The tunnel is approximately one-half mile from 40th Street. It will be marked with signs. The public is encouraged to arrive with ample time: The bats leave at sunset and won’t wait!

For more information about bats in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov.