By Ellen Muller on Monday, March 5, 2001 - 4:33 pm: |
Here are some pictures of Bonaire bats that I took yesterday. I am guessing that they are lesser long nosed bats but I will get a definite confirmation later tonight. Sorry that the quality of the pictures is not that great. I hadn't gone out planning to take bat pics!
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By Dara Walter on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 12:43 am: |
Obviously these guys are "squatting" in someone's rafters....all of our bats are hibernating in the caves by the river, but I guess the southern variety is active all year.....the last photo sets me in mind of the children's story "Stellaluna"
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By Hazel Scharosch on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 11:02 am: |
GREAT photos, Ellen! It appears the bats are sharing their roost with some sort of wasp - check out the left side of the last photo.
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By sherry baker on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 2:34 pm: |
are these the nice little creatures that eat up the no see ums and mosquitos??
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By Ellen Muller on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 2:35 pm: |
These bats have been living for many years in an old abandoned kunuku house. They share the house with lots of bees and wasps. I guess you could call this house "The Pollinators Inn".
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By Ellen Muller on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 3:49 pm: |
Sherry, the long nosed bats are primarily nectar feeders. They are crucial to the pollination of the cactus, agave and fruit trees on the island.
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By sherry baker on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 5:23 pm: |
i love the bats that eat those pesky blood sucking mosquitos.
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By Josie on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 8:00 pm: |
Ellen, your photos are AWESOME. Did you use the video camera again?
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By Fiona Rattray on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 11:28 pm: |
Great photos!
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By Ellen Muller on Friday, March 16, 2001 - 10:03 pm: |
Yes, Josie, I used the same camera.
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By Kerri Freeman on Friday, March 16, 2001 - 10:57 pm: |
Ellen, someplace I put a question (I can't find it either, don't worry) about the nose which appears to have a 'flap". Is it a flexible thing? Is it to "sharpen" scent that it takes this sort of shape? Or to mitigate for desert air? Or somehow to aid or stay out of the way of the long nectar-licking tongue? PS. Did you ever get the picture of the tree-full of loras at the lady's kunuku? Thanks, Ellen. Boneiru ta dushi. "Hey,Lady? We're just hangin'. What's the deal?"
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By Ellen Muller on Saturday, March 17, 2001 - 12:38 am: |
Nectar-feeding bats have long noses and tongues for harvesting nectar from flowers, as well as special enzymes for digesting the high-protein pollen that accumulates on their faces.
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By Kerri Freeman on Saturday, March 17, 2001 - 1:00 am: |
Not only cute, but talented. I'm talkin' about the bats...Okay, you fit the description too, now you mention it. Thanks for the education. Sorry you didn't get pics. Must have been something to see. Ellen ta dushi. How'm I doin' teach?
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By Melissa Drake on Wednesday, April 4, 2001 - 2:46 pm: |
Gorgeous pictures!!
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By Anonymous on Sunday, April 22, 2001 - 7:19 pm: |
We will be visiting Bonaire the first two weeks in November. What should we expect from mosquitos and no-see-ums? What defenses work best?
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By Josie on Sunday, April 22, 2001 - 9:57 pm: |
I use Deep Woods Off (mainly because I can get VERY severe reactions to mosquito bites), and as long as I'm careful, I don't get bitten. My husband just uses it around twilight: especially for those wonderful outside restaurant meals!
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By Thomas L Gruber on Sunday, August 26, 2001 - 9:07 pm: |
Ellen-
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Monday, August 27, 2001 - 8:48 am: |
One of the caves you can go in without disturbing bats is Spelonk. It's on the east coast via a dirt road. You'll have to ask for directions and a map when you get to Bonaire. It is one of the caves that has indian drawings in it - look at the ceiling.
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By Susan at Bon Bini Divers on Monday, August 27, 2001 - 12:12 pm: |
Thomas, I also asked Bonaire's Department of the Environment to comment, here is what I received back. Susan
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By Barry Gassert on Monday, August 27, 2001 - 8:40 pm: |
The reason that you won't disturb bats in the Spelunk caves is cuz their all gone. I remember in 1993 there were a lot of bats in those caves, but many parties and exporation has completely emptied the caves.
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By Susan at Bon Bini Divers on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 8:26 am: |
Actually, Barry, it's been awhile since you were here and things change! The bats are returning to Spelonk Cave. So we do ask that any visitors to the caves be very cognizant of their fragile habitat. Quiet should be maintained at all times to avoid waking them during their resting periods. Flash photography should not be done. And there shouldn't be any "relieving of oneself" (which, believe it or not is a major problem in the caves). Futher those who do visit caves where bats dwell, should be aware of the risk of histoplasmosis, a debilating respiratory disease that can be acquired by breathing in fungal spores from the bats' quano.
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By Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 11:13 am: |
Histoplasmosis is not always debilitating, it may produce only mild symptoms similar to a cold or flu or even no symptoms whatever.
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By Cecil Berry on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 12:41 pm: |
Could you avoid breathing in the spores if you wore a surgical mask? I would think fungus spores are pretty big and could be filtered.
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By Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 2:45 pm: |
Wearing a surgical mask would not be of much help. There are biological HAZMAT masks that could be worn but contamination to your hair, skin, and clothing is still a possibilty. Which would then call for a full decontamination suit which includes gloves, hood and boots.
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By Thomas L Gruber on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 10:54 pm: |
Wow, all that about what I thought was a simple request! Thanks to Linda & Susan for the info about Spelonk, and to Susan & Anon. for the info about histo.
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By Anonymous on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 1:01 pm: |
Tom
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By Sarah on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 5:49 pm: |
Ellen, wonderful pictures.. experienced many bats flying in and out of our Bonaire apartment last year.. though I'm a little uneasy around them... so appreciate your close-ups..
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By pat murphy on Friday, October 4, 2002 - 7:43 am: |
I'm visiting Bonaire for 4 weeks from the end of October. I'm fully prepared for mosquitos but what on earth are "no-see-ums"! And more importantly how do you protect yourself from them. Pat
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By Jan Klos on Friday, October 4, 2002 - 12:05 pm: |
no-see-ums---Bad little bugers---Similar to sand fleas-- you don't see them and most of the time don't feel them---They can leave a nasty bite --I personaly get terrible scars from them-- Most people are not affected by them-- Bug spray helps- such as Off etc.
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By Snorkelguy {Scott} on Friday, October 4, 2002 - 7:07 pm: |
You want a repellent that is high in DEET. Consumer Reports rates "3M Ultrathon" and "Off! Deep Woods for Sportsmen" as the best and that last the longest and even works on ticks, not something that many products can claim. The more DEET the better.
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