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Story Time: The Eastern Red Bat’s Blanket of Leaves
An eastern red bat resting in fallen leaves, with furry tail membrane tucked around the body. Credit: Tom Arbour
Please enjoy this short story from the perspective of an eastern red bat settling in for winter.
The autumn air was crisp and full of promise. As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink, a small figure flitted silently through the trees. This was no bird, but a bat—a solitary eastern red bat, her fur a warm reddish-brown that blended perfectly with the falling leaves around her.
She had spent the summer nights hunting in the warm air, her long, silky fur rippling as she darted through the forest in search of insects. As the days grew shorter and the air cooler, she found herself roosting in the densest of trees, curling her body tightly and wrapping her furred tail membrane around herself like a blanket. This usually kept her warm through the night, but she could feel the world changing around her—the first hints of winter were in the air.
She noticed other bats passing above, their dark forms darting across the moonlit sky. These were her cousins, bats of different species, with sleek, dark fur and slender bodies built for long migrations. They were heading south, away from the cold, to find warmer climates where they could survive the winter. The red bat watched them go, feeling a quiet sense of understanding. Her cousins had no choice but to leave, but she did. Her thick fur and her built-in blanket of a tail meant that she could stay behind—if she could find the right place.
One night, the temperature plummeted. The cold crept into her bones, sharper and more biting than she had felt before. Frost began to form on the branches, and even her thick fur couldn’t keep the chill at bay. She shivered, instinctively tucking her tail membrane tighter around her body, but it wasn’t enough. The freeze had arrived, and it was more than her usual roost could handle.
The cold told her what she needed to do. With a final glance at the chilly sky, the bat uncurled herself and took flight, her wings slicing through the cold night air.
She flew lower, skimming over the forest floor, searching for just the right spot. The bat knew what she needed—a patch of leaf litter on a south-facing slope, where the sun’s warmth would linger the longest each day. She found it: a thick, golden-brown carpet of leaves, piled up against the base of a tree near a wooden cave where humans slept. The slope faced south, catching the last rays of the sun even as the temperatures continued to drop.
The bat landed lightly on the leaves, her delicate claws gripping the ground as she inspected her surroundings. This was it. With a quick, practiced motion, she burrowed into the leaf litter, tucking herself deep beneath the protective blanket.
The leaves rustled softly as she settled in, wrapping her furred tail membrane tightly around her body. Inside her leafy cocoon, the world grew quiet and still. The bat felt the warmth of the leaves around her, insulating her from the freezing air above. As the temperature dropped further, she slowed her breathing and heart rate, entering a state of torpor—a deep, temporary hibernation that would allow her to sleep through the cold.
Above her, the forest continued its slow transformation. The leaves that had provided shade in summer now provided warmth, protecting the life hidden beneath them. The red bat, safe in her leafy sanctuary, was unaware of the world outside. She dreamed only of the warmth of spring, when she would wake and once again take to the skies.
Why It Matters for the Eastern Red Bat
The eastern red bat is uniquely adapted to survive cold temperatures, thanks to its thick fur and furred tail membrane, which it uses like a blanket during hibernation. When temperatures drop below freezing, these bats often choose to hibernate under leaf litter rather than migrating. The leaves provide crucial insulation, keeping them warm enough to survive the winter months.
So as the leaves pile up this fall, remember the red bat and her hidden home. What seems like just a mess of leaves to us is a life-saving shelter for her—a place where she can survive the coldest nights and emerge, come spring, ready to soar once more. By leaving leaves on your property, you can help preserve the natural habitats that these bats—and many other creatures—depend on.
