Bats that live in cooler places like northern North America either hibernate or migrate south for the winter. If they hibernate, they do so in large groups in safe, warm places like caves. They store up fat in their bodies and go to sleep until winter is over. (Bats sleep upside down, hanging from their feet, with their wings wrapped around them!) The bats that migrate move south where it's warmer and hunt for insects there. (In colder climates, insect populations decline in winter.)
Baby bats are called "pups" and when they are born, they are very tiny and vulnerable. Because of this, babies are often born in large colonies where there may be thousands of pups in one area. Every bat only has one pup per year. And the mother bat must be able to distinguish her own pup's cry from the thousands of other babies, so she knows when her pup needs her. For several months, pups drink milk from their mothers, before they can fly and hunt on their own.
Despite the bad rap they get, bats are very good for our world. They aren't all vampires, and they don't get caught in your hair. They aren't flying mice or rats--bats have more in common with humans than rodents! Bats are actually kinda cute, if you take the time to look at them, and appreciate their place on Earth.
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