Monday, April 15, 2013

Honduran White Bats


These Honduran White Bats spend their days roosting upside down under the spreading leaves of the heliconia plant. The bats build their "tents" by nibbling along the midrib of the chosen leaf, causing it to droop. This provides a dry, well-hidden refuge for the day; they will likely create a new tent tomorrow.
Click here for the photograph: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=453317794742857&set=a.261706700570635.60434.117105425030764&type=1&theaterhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=453317794742857&set=a.261706700570635.60434.117105425030764&type=1&theater

Although not uncommon in the lowland forests of Costa Rica, these bats are maddeningly hard to find. Their abandoned roosts are everywhere, but finding a group like this took me years.
To get this picture, I had to lie on my back and shoot straight up into the leaf, which hung only 18" above the ground. I moved slowly and quietly, took just a few frames, and withdrew, leaving them where I found them.
How big are the bats? Adults are the size of a child's fist. Take a look at this comparison:
Honduran White Bats (Ectophylla alba), Costa Rica
(c) 2013 Kevin Schafer
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