There are many myths about bats, and for the most part they are stories that portray bats in a bad light.

Bats are Blind

As we have learned, bats are not blind and many have keen vision that compares well with our own or that of owls. Why then, do we have that myth?

Virtually all bats are nocturnal, conducting most of their business in the hours of darkness. The eyes of most bats are specialized for nighttime operation, so in bright sunlight, bats tend to squint. Since bats are small to begin with, small squinted eyes are hard to see unless you look very closely.

A casual glance at a bat in bright light leaves the impression that it has no eyes. Echolocation, well known from many bats, also contributes to the myth. It seems natural to assume that animals with this elegant specialization would not need vision at all.

Bats Get into your Hair

While there are many bats that have been trained to land in others hair, there is no `evidence to support the myth that hair seeking is normal in bats. So what natural behavior could account for this myth? Well, insectivores’ bats typically fly near people. This often occurs in the summer when hoards of mosquitoes often surround people. Thus, the bat will fly close to a person in order to eat the mosquitoes.

The second occurs when a bat is flying in a room. When the bat approaches a wall, it will slow down. To counter this stall, it will then swoop low and regain airspeed. To a human, it may appear as if the bat is diving towards human hair.