Settling in for a Long Winter's Nap

Hibernating animals.

Hibernation is when an animal slows its heart rate and other bodily functions to save energy and survive the winter without eating much. Some animals just slow down and move less frequently during hibernation, but others go into what appears to be a deep sleep and don’t wake up until spring. Contrary to popular belief, hibernation is not actual sleep, though. Hibernation is a state of torpor, different from sleep, mainly because during sleep, unconscious bodily functions — such as breathing, having a heart rate, and having detectable brain activity — are still performed. Different animals hibernate in different ways- some appear to be in a deep sleep they won’t “wake” from for months, while others only take light naps, waking to eat and shiver to warm up a bit.

In Maryland, we have many animals that hibernate during winter. When the weather grows cold and the food becomes scare. American black bears retreat to dens. Males bed down around mid-December and emerge in mid-March; females, from late November to mid-April. Groundhogs, also called woodchucks, are typically active until the first real frost of winter, often October or November. Then they crawl down into their burrows to hibernate until February or March. Wood frogs find shelter and warmth during Winter under fallen leaves, pine needles and soil. Wood frogs typically only hibernate for 2-3 months during winter. Garter snakes hibernate from late October through March or early April, but do take breaks to bask on rocks during mild winter days. They hibernate in natural cavities, such as rodent burrows, under rock piles, or in stumps.

On November 4 at 7pm, members are invited to join us for our First Friday Fire to talk more about hibernating animals. As always, we’ll enjoy an evening around the fire and s’mores. You can register for this evening event at the park for free on our website.

While many animals in our region will be hibernating through the upcoming winter months, there are still plenty to see! Learn more winter wildlife in our area from the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Up all night, sleep all day

Many people are scared of the dark and worry about the animals prowling in the darkness - but there’s so much to learn about animals that are active during the night and sleep during the day. These animals, referred to as nocturnal, generally have highly developed senses of hearing, smell and specially adapted eyesight. Nocturnal animals come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Perhaps the most famous nocturnal creature is the bat. Maryland is home to 10 species of bats - the only mammals that can fly. In Maryland, all of our bat species eat insects such as mosquitos, stinkbugs, and moths. All 10 species of bats occurring in Maryland are considered to be Species of Greatest Conservation Need. You’ll notice bat boxes in the trees at Charlotte’s Quest, as we hope to encourage them to live in our woods. We also have an Eagle Scout adding six additional boxes to the park this year.

Another familiar nocturnal animal is the owl. There are six species of owl found year-round throughout Maryland: the screech owl, barred owl, great horned owl, barn owl, short-eared owl, and long-eared owl. Owls have excellent hunting capabilities and, on the upper switchback trails at Charlotte’s Quest, it’s not uncommon to find the results of these skills - owl pellets. These pellets are parts of an owl’s food that they do not digest and can include the exoskeletons of insects, indigestible plant matter, bones, fur, feathers, and claws.

While their name might say otherwise, the Virginia opossum is another nocturnal animal commonly found in Maryland. Though sometimes mistakenly considered to be rats, opossums are not closely related to rodents. Opossums are the only marsupials found in the United States. In the wild, opossums are usually prey and not predators. Because of this, they have evolved the trick to play dead. This defense mechanism is a unique way for opossums to stay safe without engaging with predators.

You’ve likely seen a raccoon or two at the park - they are nocturnal, too! Raccoons can be found in riparian areas along streams, lakes, marshes, swamps, farmland, and in suburban neighborhoods. Our riparian buffer is a favorite spot for them to hunt, and they typically den in hollow trees, ground burrows or brush piles but will use barns, attics or abandoned buildings, too.

Another nocturnal creature you’ve surely seen is the moth. Moths, like butterflies, are pollinators. Because moths are nocturnal, they have a lower risk of being seen by predators during the night. A moth’s antennae are feathery or saw-edged, unlike the butterfly, which has a club shaped antenna.

We’re excited to host our First Friday Fire in October to talk more about the “night life” at the park. Maybe we’ll hear an owl hooting or see bats flying during an evening hike. Please join us for this Members-only event, which will also include a campfire and s’mores. Register online here!

Denizens of the Night

As my favorite holiday approaches, it’s just natural to have certain iconic images, such as monsters, witches, beasts, and nature’s nocturnal creepers, crawlers, and fliers pop into our thoughts. One such denizen of the night is the BAT! Let’s take a moment to learn some well-known and not-so-well-known facts about these amazing mammals.

Bats alone stand out against all other mammals due to the fact that they are the only flying mammal! Their sizes range from that of a bee to the size of a small dog. There are over 1,200 species of bat. The larger bats, such as the Flying Foxes, have wingspans that can reach up to a little over 6 feet, 6 inches and can weigh up to a little over 3 pounds. Bumblebee Bats, on the other hand, only way about 0.004 pounds!

Some bats only eat insects (like those found in the UK), but others also eat fruit, flower nectar, pollen, fish, frogs, other bats, and even blood! There IS a species of bat whose adult diet is entirely comprised of blood (hematophagy) and is named the Vampire Bat. This type of bat can be found in Mexico and Central and South America. Though they have been known to feed off of the blood of humans, they do not take enough to harm in that way. However, Vampire Bats can cause infections and disease. They have very few teeth since their diet is not made up of solids. Also, their primary blood sources are that of sleeping horses and cattle.

Although it is sometimes suggested that bats are blind, aside from complications in their biology or from certain conditions, this is not true. They have different vision since their hunting usually takes place at night and their vision can help them to see in places humans may consider to be “pitch black.” Some bats, however, do rely, even though they can see, on echolocation, the ability to locate objects by reflecting sound. Dolphins are also known for this.

Another association with bats is with rabies. This is found to be true. As of 2019, WebMD relayed info from the CDC stating that bats are responsible for 7 out of 10 rabies deaths. They go on to say how unusual this is given that bats account for only a third of 5,000 rabid animal reported each year nation-wide. The reason for this could be that many people still don’t realize that bats pose a rabies risk, so they don’t seek the vaccine or antiviral medications after being scratched or bitten. So, always

play it safe and seek medical attention immediately in case of potential or known exposure.

That being sad, bats are also very crucial to our planet in general! Many bats eat numerous insects. These include mosquito’s and insects that damage and eat many things that farmers grow, such as tomatoes, coffee, cucumbers, beans, corn, pecans, almonds, and cotton. Bats are also pollinators. Those that consume nectar pollinate flowers by moving pollen from one flower to another, like bees! They are known to pollinate over 700 plants, some of these provide medicine and food for us. Bats also promote plant growth through seed dispersal, like birds do! After they eat fruit, for example, they excrete the seeds and a new plant can grow. Bat guano is also beneficial for gardens as they provide healthful fertilizer for plants, is a natural fungicide, and can be used to activate and speed up the decomposition process in compost.

Another amazing fact about bats is that the saliva of Vampire bats is a natural coagulant! It is termed Draculin. In nature, it functions to keep the blood from a particular Vampire bat’s prey from coagulating while they are drinking it.

Sadly, there are a number of species of bat that are endangered. Among them are the Little Brown Bat species which can be found in Canada, North America (including Maryland), and Mexico. Their population has decreased by 90% because of a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome which causes bats to wake prematurely from their hibernation; this causes them to, in turn, deplete their vital fat reserves.

One way to promote the bat population is to build bat houses. Charlotte’s Quest has some installed throughout Pine Valley Park and we are planning on building many more! Keep and eye out for a possible bat house building workshop event! In the meantime, if you would like to learn how to build your own bat house(s) that you can install at your own residence, go to www.batcon.org for more information. Bat Conservation International’s website can also provide you with other ways to help our night-time fliers!

If you would like to learn more about Bats, Charlotte’s Quest Nature Center is hosting a First Friday Fire member’s only event themed around Spiders and Bats on Friday, October 1st @ 7pm. I hope to see you there! Thank you for reading and Happy Halloween!!!