Not so spooky: studying the remarkable and misunderstood bat October 31, 2025

Each fall, Halloween brings bats into the spotlight. We see bat decorations on porches, across windows and in candy aisles. Yet these seasonal symbols also carry enduring misunderstandings.

Growing up in El Salvador, where Halloween wasn’t widely celebrated, I heard misconceptions that bats were scary, dirty, or evil. I hoped that might be different in Canada, but I quickly learned the same myths are common here too.

As a kid, I was never afraid of bats — I was intrigued by them and many other natural wonders. My curiosity led me to pursue a master’s degree at Carleton University as part of the Davy Lab and the Weston Family Conservation Science Fellowship Program. My study focuses on bats in the Ottawa Valley and how different landscapes (from forests to farms and cities) along with seasonal factors affect their health. Looking ahead, I will broaden to landscapes in other parts of Canada.

What I’ve learned researching these misunderstood mammals

After two seasons of fieldwork, I can confidently say that bats are anything but spooky.  They’re agile, intelligent, and essential to the ecosystems we all depend on. And personally, I think they are rather cute! The more time I spend in the field, the more I realize how different reality is from what most people imagine. Here are four truths about bats that might surprise you:

• All of Canada’s 19 species of bats eat insects, including mosquitoes and crop pests. The world’s three “vampire bat” species live in Mexico, Central and South America. These species feed by making a tiny cut on livestock or wildlife to lap up a few drops of blood — far from what is seen in horror movies.
• Most bats have good eyesight and the saying  “blind as a bat” couldn’t be farther from reality. The majority of bats use high-frequency echolocation calls that bounce off objects to fly and hunt. This makes them accurate fliers, unlikely to purposely get in your hair. During fieldwork this summer, one colony dodged our nets so effectively that we had to return several nights (each time changing our set-up) to capture enough bats to conduct measurements. They knew exactly where the nets were and how to avoid them, showing me just how intelligent they are.
• Most bats in Canada weigh less than a apple and would easily fit in your palm – far from the misconception of big, flying rodents. Bats are distinctly different from rodents and are more closely related to primates. The first time I held one, I was surprised at how small and fragile it felt. Their wings are elongated fingers held together by a thin membrane that is delicate, yet strong. Seeing them up close deepened my appreciation for how evolution shaped them into the only mammal capable of true flight.
• Bats are ecosystem superheroes! Far from pests, 1,400 species of bats worldwide  pollinate plants, disperse seeds and eat insects, saving farmers billions of dollars each year through natural pest control.

With how clever, diverse, and vital bats are, it’s hard to see them as anything but fascinating. While misconceptions may make it harder to protect them, the good news is that a few simple actions can help a lot.

You could: install a bat house and protect mature trees to offer safe roosting sites; avoid using pesticides which kill insects, an important bat food source; keep cats indoors; and, importantly, share what you learn. Curiosity and empathy go a long way toward conservation.

Wherever we live, bats are quiet partners keeping our ecosystems healthy. I know I will continue to research and advocate for these remarkable mammals. Together, we can ensure bats thrive year-round, long after the Halloween decorations come down.