October is Bat Appreciation Month so it’s a good time to see the bats getting ready to hibernate.
There will be a Night Hike through Sodalis Nature Preserve at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14. The night hike, “Welcome Home, Myotis Sodalis” is scheduled in time for participants to see bats at sunset.
The scientific name of Indiana bats is myotis sodalis. Scientists have determined there are more than 211,000 that hibernate in the abandoned limestone mines at Sodalis Nature Preserve.
Bat Appreciation Month is designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Bats are vital to the health of our natural world and economy. Each night bats are hard at work – eating tons of insects, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that grow new plants and trees.
Each fall, Indiana bats migrate from their summer habitats to congregate in the vicinity of their hibernation sites, which include caves and abandoned mine shafts. During this time, the bats engage in mating activity and feed in the surrounding area to build the fat reserves needed during hibernation. The bats then hibernate from late October to April.
The full Night Hike program lasts about two hours and follows a 2-mile paved trail. Participants are welcome to stay with the group or return to the parking lot on their own. Activities include seasonal observations, sensory activities and the telling of the creation of Sodalis Nature Preserve.
There will be a strict limit of 20 participants and reservations must be made by calling Hannibal Parks & Recreation at 221-0154 or by emailing mlrichards@hannibal-mo.gov.
Nature programs and hikes are led by Gale Rublee, a nationally certified interpreter guide with more than 25 years of experience in outdoor education.