This Halloween, Celebrate The Beautiful Bat
Do Not Fear This Sleepy Guy This is a Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadaria braziliensis) from Bracken Cave, near San Antonio, Texas. He does not want to hurt you. Ann Froschauer/U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceBats are helpful insect eaters and providers of tequila, not just Halloween decorations. But their connection to the holiday is fitting. Except when they freak us out by getting into the attic, this time of year is arguably the only time anyone notices bats -- they adorn T-shirts, cupcakes and front doors, symbolizing all the creepiness and darkness of Halloween. Of all the holiday's motifs, bats are arguably the least understood and the most maligned. But they are in fact cuddly, clean and sociable creatures, and you should not be afraid of them! Here's why. Joy O'Keefe, director of the Indiana State University Bat Center, says she understands the Halloween connection -- bats are spooky because they're out at...