Busting Bat Myths

If you haven't yet, be sure to order my picture book, Mama Bat and Baby Bat: Screech, Chirp, Chatter!

When you hear the word bat, what pops into your mind first? If your answer is “creepy” or “Halloween,” you’re not alone. That’s exactly how I used to feel, too!

These days, I proudly call myself a bat nerd—I absolutely love bats! But it wasn’t always that way. For a long time, I believed what most people do: that bats are scary, dangerous, maybe even a little gross. Those ideas are really common, and they mostly come from fear, spooky stories, and how bats are shown in movies and TV.

The problem is, a lot of those ideas just aren’t true. They're myths—things people believe, but that aren’t based on facts. Myths often start with a misunderstanding, or get passed down over time without anyone checking if they’re actually right.

When I taught at McCutchanville Elementary School, my second grade classes raised money to erect a bat house. We also included this sign to help educate the community

So why does it matter? Why bust bat myths? Because myths can cause harm. When people believe bats are dangerous, they might be afraid of them—or even try to get rid of them. That hurts bat populations and the environment. Sometimes people overreact because they don’t understand the real risk—and that fear leads to extreme or unnecessary actions. And when myths spread, it becomes harder to protect bats.

But here’s the good news: once people learn the truth, fear often turns into fascination. That’s exactly what happened to me—and to my students! As we studied bats together, we discovered how amazing they really are. And that understanding helped us feel connected to nature, and inspired to protect it.

That’s why I care so much about busting myths. In fact, I included a special section of bat myths and facts in the back of my picture book, Mama Bat and Baby Bat: Screech, Chirp, Chatter. And my students didn’t stop there—they raised money as “Batty Baristas” to build a real bat house on our school campus! We even put up a sign in front of it with those same myths and facts, so anyone walking by could learn something new.

Because when you get to know bats—not the myths, but the real animals—you start to see how helpful, important, and yes, even adorable they are. You might find you are a “bat nerd” too.

Let’s take a look at some common bat myths and dig into the real facts. (P.S. I have a downloadable PDF at the bottom of this page so you can print this out and share with your favorite bat-lover!)

Myths Busted 

Bats are blind.   BUSTED!  Bats’ eyes are fine.  They see as well as any other animal.  However, bats use echolocation to send out sound waves and listen for the echo sound to hunt for food.

All bats carry rabies.  BUSTED!  According to the U.S. Center for Disease and Control Prevention, only 5% to 6% of bats captured for testing have rabies.  Therefore, just like any other wildlife, you shouldn’t handle a bat.   

Bats fly toward people and get tangled in their hair to build a nest.  BUSTED!  Using echolocation, it might appear that bats fly erratically and swoop down on you, but they are tracking movement of bugs.  Bats don’t make nests, so they aren’t looking to get into your hair.

 Bats suck people's blood.  BUSTED!  While vampire bats have been known to bite people on rare occasions, they feed on cattle and other animals.  They make a small bite and suck a tiny amount of blood.  The animals don't even feel it and it doesn’t harm the animal. 

Bats aren’t important to the planet.  BUSTED!  Bats eat thousands of bugs, including pesky mosquitoes, each night serving as a natural pest control for plants.  Bats are pollinators.  They also spread seeds that grow into plants.  

Bats are a type of bird.  BUSTED!  Bats are the only flying mammals on the planet.  They have fur, give live births, and mothers nurse their young.

Teachers: Here are some fun activities to use in the classroom.

🦇 Bat Myths & Facts Sorting Activity

📋 How It Works:

• Copy the following "Bat Statements to Sort" onto individual cards.

• Have kids sort each one into “Myth” or “Fact.”

• You can use a pocket chart, two labeled baskets, or a simple worksheet.

🔹 Bat Statements to Sort

1. 🦇 Bats are blind.

2. 🦇 Bats sleep during the day and come out at night.

3. 🦇 All bats drink blood.

4. 🦇 Bats are mammals.

5. 🦇 Bats will fly into your hair.

6. 🦇 Bats help farmers by eating insects.

7. 🦇 All bats carry rabies.

8. 🦇 Some bats pollinate flowers.

9. 🦇 Bats are just flying mice.

10. 🦇 Bats use echolocation to find food.

11. 🦇 Bats can’t see at all.

12. 🦇 Some bats eat fruit instead of bugs.

✅ Answer Key

Statement	Myth or Fact?	Why?
Bats are blind.	Myth	Most bats see quite well, and some even see in color.
Bats sleep during the day and come out at night.	Fact	Bats are nocturnal.
All bats drink blood.	Myth	Only 3 out of 1,400+ species do, and they mostly feed on animals like cows.
Bats are mammals.	Fact	Bats are warm-blooded, have fur, and nurse their babies.
Bats will fly into your hair.	Myth	Bats avoid humans and use echolocation to steer clear.
Bats help farmers by eating insects.	Fact	Insect-eating bats save billions in crop protection each year.
All bats carry rabies.	Myth	Less than 1% do. Most are healthy and safe from a distance.
Some bats pollinate flowers.	Fact	Especially in tropical regions—some flowers rely on bats!
Bats are just flying mice.	Myth	Bats are in their own order, Chiroptera—not rodents.
Bats use echolocation to find food.	Fact	They send out sound waves and listen for the echoes.
Bats can’t see at all.	Myth	They can see, and some have excellent night vision.
Some bats eat fruit instead of bugs.	Fact	Many tropical species are fruit bats or nectar feeders.

Bonus Ideas:

• Add a Bat Myth/Fact Relay where kids run to place cards in the right bucket.

• Follow with a Bat Truth Poster activity: each student illustrates one fact.

• Use cards with myths only. Make another set of cards with the facts. Students pair the myth with the fact.

• Students create posters showing how bats help people — eating mosquitoes, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds.

• Create a class “Bat Myth Museum” using drawings, captions, and photos with labeled exhibits: “What People Think” (myths);“What’s Really True” (facts); Why Bats Matter” (ecosystem roles)

• Kids can write scripts to create a Bat Interview Role Play. One child plays a bat, another is a news reporter. The reporter asks questions like: “Do you drink blood?”;“Are you really blind?”; “How do you help people?” The “bat” answers with fun, factual responses. 

• Give each student a mini notebook or printable “Bat Detective Journal.” As they learn new facts, they write or draw what they discover that proves a myth wrong. Example prompts:

  “I used to think ________, but now I know ________.”“Bats are not scary because…”

Bat Myths.pdf

Download PDF • 58KB

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