Crater of Diamonds to host bat workshop

By Waymon Cox

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! As a kid, one of my favorite summer activities was to go outside after sundown to take a walk on cool evenings. With one of the hottest summers on record this year, the evenings aren’t much cooler, but I still go outside when I can to look at stars, enjoy the quiet, and count the bats I see zipping overhead!

Bats are objects of fear and fascination for many. As the only mammal with true flight, 16 bat species call Arkansas home. These furry, winged critters come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. They may have red, brown, yellow, gray, or black fur and range in wingspan from less than ten inches to more than 16! While some species live alone, others roost in groups called colonies, in caves, trees, barns, and other natural or manmade structures.

Bats are also helpful to humans in many ways. Most Arkansas species eat pest insects like mosquitoes, flies, moths, wasps, and beetles. In fact one bat can eat 600 mosquitoes in an hour, while a colony may consume tons of insects in a single night!

It is a misconception that bats are blind. They have good eyesight, but because they are nocturnal, only coming out after dark, they can’t use their eyes to navigate the night sky (just like humans can’t see well at night)! Bats use a form of biological sonar called echolocation to navigate and hunt at night. Scientists have studied echolocation for several years and have learned how to implement similar techniques to assist humans with vision impairment.

Mankind has even found uses for bat guano (dung); it makes great plant fertilizer and is even used in makeup!

Though it is illegal to keep bats as pets in Arkansas, we can still benefit from having them nearby! On Saturday, August 25, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Crater of Diamonds State Park will host a Bat House Building workshop in the Diamond Discovery Center classroom for anyone interested in learning more about Arkansas’s bats and how they help us.

During the workshop we’ll dispel bat myths and misconceptions and learn more about various Arkansas species, including unique characteristics, habits, and threats to their survival. Participants will also build their own bat houses to draw these beneficial creatures close to home!

Cost is only $15 per person, payable upon arrival at the visitor center. Space is limited to the first 15 participants who sign up, with a minimum of three required. All ages are welcome, though younger children should bring an adult to help build the bat house (no charge for helpers).

Search area last plowed: July 18, 2012

Most recent significant precipitation: July 26, 2012

Diamond finds for the week of July 29, 2012 (100 points = one carat):

No diamonds found July 29 - 30.

July 31 - Oren Bragger, Germantown, MD, 1 pt. white

No diamonds found August 1.

August 2 - Manny Dumatrait, Breaux Bridges, LA, 28 pt. yellow

August 3 - Nyah Layne, Silver Spring, MD, 71 pt. yellow

August 4 - Jim Graham, Prescott, AR, 7 pt. white; David Anderson, Murfreesboro, AR, 12 pt. white, 11 pt. brown, 1.61 ct. brown; Gene Watkins, Garland, TX, 9 pt. yellow