They Really Are Just So Damn Fluff.
they really are just so damn fluff.
for further information, the 'pipistrelles' mentioned in the cited paper are actually Perimyotis subflavus. Which are not pipistrelles, they're more related to myotis spp. than pipistrelles; their western cousin species - Parastrellus hesperus - are more related to pipistrelles though, thus the designation of 'parastrelle', but at the time that paper was written, such designations and reclassifications were not... apologies for the tangent.
an Underland-sized hoary could be a quite effective predator, indeed; especially if they're smart about who they hunt. (tbh I'd probably fall for that ruse. they're just so damn fluffy. An Aeorestine large enough to actually hug without risking harm to the bat - and that can hug back? aaaaaaaa wish fulfillment.)
"'Come inside my hammock,' said the flier to the flutterfly..." and a hypothetical otherwise situationally-unaware/-innocent overlander has no idea of the context... or, if underlander human, they'd be raised from a young age to believe that fliers mean no harm, that a bat will always be around to catch them... a predatory flier would be such a horrible inversion of that concept.
knowledge that lives rent free in my mind: some species of bats predate upon smaller bats. hoaries in particular have been known to attack pipistrelles even during periods of insect abundancies (Karl A. Shump, Ann U. Shump, Lasius cinereus, Mammalian Species, Issue 185, 23 November 1982).
hoaries are also extremely fluffy. possibly the fluffiest bat in north america.
so, the idea of a rogue flier with the appearance and physical traits of a lasiurus cinereus could be a very effective predator of unaware or too-trusting people in the underland. and any missing people could be blamed on other denizens of the underland. who would suspect a flier? especially one so fluffy?
lasiurus species, not just hoaries but all of the lasiurini, are also known to use their fluffy tails as blankets, curling up and sheltering their front, with only their heads and maybe a bit of their chest remaining exposed. a lasiurini flier could offer such as a hammock, especially to Overlanders not used to living underground, away from the warmth of the Sun. It just so happens that that might put an unlucky individual's head in biting range, and once that individual dozes off...
i bestow this cursed information upon you to do with as you wish.
It's perfect and I will cherish this forever. Cannibal fliers and human predating fliers go into the worldbuilding.
More Posts from Eternaljourneytmbr and Others
Tailed Tailless Bat, photographed by Irineu Cunha, (source)
Jack nicholson in the shining
I follow this lady on instagram who rescues cats, and i have been thinking about this video for literal months. behold the transformation of this wretched little beast
(x)
aw, nice, thanks for the bat friend!
Also, to add to the cool bat facts listed above... https://batworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/free-tails-smell-like-tacos.pdf
May I humbly request a bat friend?
Happy Bat Week!
Your bat is the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)!
Oh gosh. This bat, man. One of the most agriculturally important species in the U.S. These guys live in MASSIVE colonies in the southern U.S.; there are 1.5 million living under Congress Ave Bridge in Austin, Texas and another 20 million (YEAH. TWENTY MILLION HOLY CRAP.) living in Bracken Cave, which is considered to be the largest colony of bats of any species living anywhere in the world. BONKERS. Not only do these bats live in huge colonies, but they are also the fastest flying animals, clocking in at just under 100mph (hawks only reach the speeds they do by diving; these bats reach 100mph USING ACTUAL MECHANICAL FLIGHT. DO YOU REALIZE HOW BONKERS THAT IS?????). During birthing season, mothers will leave their massive roosts to go hunt insects. They will fly up to 50km away to hunt. When they return, they are able to find their pups in a crowd of literal millions by the sounds of their voices. Do you know what a huge colony in a cave also means? Guano. Lots of it. And you know what guano means? High levels of ammonia. In a cave. The levels are so high that you physically cannot enter Bracken Cave without a respirator. So how do the bats survive? WELL. They have evolved to be able to change the amounts of CO2 in their blood via respiratory mucous to protect against blood pH changes. AND!!!!!!!!! THEY KNOW HOW TO VENTILATE THEIR CAVES. They fly in a circular motion as they leave and enter the cave to move the air and ventilate out some of the ammonia.
Saw this on FB and was amused.
Sending love to everyone who is just... tired. Life is a lot, and sometimes the answer to it all is to just be still and silent for a while. Give yourself space and grace. Whether it’s decision fatigue, anxiety fatigue, information fatigue, routine fatigue, getting life back together fatigue, career fatigue, social fatigue, financial fatigue, or physical fatigue—take a moment to breathe and recharge. You deserve it.
Just a lil' guy
Vegans of tumblr, listen up. Harvesting agave in the quantities required so you dont have to eat honey is killing mexican long-nosed bats. They feed off the nectar and pollinate the plants. They need the agave. You want to help the environment? Go back to honey. Your liver and thyroid will thank you, as well. Agave is 90% fructose, which can cause a host of issues. Bye.
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