Today, i'll be talking about bats. ooh, but not Just any type of bat. Today i'll be talking about: THE TENT MAKING BAT! All of the following info is from Wiki. The tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum) is an American leaf-nosed bat (Phyllostomidae) found in lowland forests of Central and South America. This medium-sized bat has a gray coat with a pale white stripe running down the middle of the back. Its face is characterized by a fleshy noseleaf and four white stripes. Primarily a frugivore, it may supplement its diet with insects, flower parts, pollen, and nectar. Its common name comes from its curious behavior of constructing tents out of large, fan-shaped leaves. These roosts provide excellent protection from the tropical rains, and a single tent roost may house several bats at once. This bat is quite common in its geographic range; hence, its conservation status is listed as Least Concern. (one of it's geographic range is Costa Rica.) Tent-making behavior (Read this carefuly, it explains how the Tent-Making bat makes tents.) As noted in their common name, Uroderma bilobatum exhibits a curious roosting behavior. They bite through the midrib or vein of a large leaf so that it folds in half to form an inverted-V-shaped shelter. This “tent” provides shelter from sun, wind, and rain. Eventually, the leaf dries up and breaks off from the plant, and they have to construct a new one, a feat that takes them several nights to accomplish. Amazingly, a single tent may be used for up to 60 days. U. bilobatum prefers the large, single leaves of banana trees and pinnate or palmate palms. They may roost in groups of 2–59 individuals, and are quite easily startled from their roosts during the day. They tend to choose tall trees, but not the tallest trees in the area. Taller trees may offer them greater protection from predators, but trees that are too tall would mostly likely expose them to greater winds. An additional preference has been demonstrated for younger fronds, which are also usually further from the ground. Due to the nature of their roosts, foliage-roosting bats tend to be more nomadic than bats that roost in caves. Some suggest that this adaptation may enable them to track food sources throughout the seasons. The tents may also provide protection from predators that target typical bat roosts such as caves and hollow trees. However, the disadvantages of such a lifestyle include the energetic costs that the bats have to expend in the creation of new tents every few months and the decreased protection from the weather offered by such roosts. (Yeash. and people think that ANTS are the most busy animals!) Well, that's all for today! Comment on this post and tell me if you want more Tent-making bat info! Bye!