Tendons in bats trigger a locking mechanism when relaxed, allowing them to hang from their feet when inactive.
pests all too common in vineyards, Johnston said. Also, pallid bats eat the California root borer, another vineyard pest. “It’s in the family of the longhorn beetle. They are about 2 inches long,” Johnston says. “The females lay about 200 eggs just below the surface of the soil near the roots of the
A conservation coordinator with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was totally on board with the pallid bat’s new role. “We have 25 bat species in California, and the pallid bat is one of the coolest,” says Katrina Smith, small mammal conservation coordinator for Fish and Wildlife. Smith said bats are similar to birds in many ways. “While birds are on the day shift
grapevines. Those grubs feed on the roots of the grapevines, and pallid bats are one of the few bats that eat those regularly.” Pallid bats roost in hidden havens like the eaves of porches, or inside a barn. “They will roost in the ceiling of a barn at the apex of the ceiling. That’s very typical,” Johnston said. “They have little claws on
“Anytime you have a bat being recognized as an important part of the ecosystem it’s spectacular.” —Phil Coturri, Sonoma organic vintner
eating bugs, bats are on the night shift, which is good not only for crops but also for the ecosystem.” It might not be easy for folks in the North Bay to know if pallid bats are occupying their porches or barns, she says. “They fly really quickly. Most people don’t get a look at it, and it’s usually in low light. If it’s around sunset, it’s more likely to be a bat,” Smith says.
their feet and when they relax, their tendons have a locking mechanism. They naturally have those little claws extended,” he says. “So, when their muscles are relaxed, they can hang by their feet from the rough wood.” To pull their claws in, the bats actually have to tense their muscles—the opposite of, for example, a house cat, or Wolverine in the X-Men.
In summertime, the females form a sort of childcare cooperative, gathering in groups of 20 to 100 to raise their pups, and “you might find them in your barn,” she says. The males tend to be solitary, she says, which certainly
July 2024
NorthBaybiz 49
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