Where's Robin?
:popcorn:

Made in China?

If you are interested in seeing thousands of bats in the wild, they can be seen at Hopkins Prairie campground in the Ocala National Forest. This is a small, primitive style campground, you have to bring in your own potable water, and the only two restrooms are locked from July through September due to summer's heat here. So campground not really open in summer. The Florida Trail goes right through the campground and by the bat house. But it is not far from The Villages, a little over 50 miles from Lake Sumter Landing, and off Route 19 near Lake George. The bat house is at the edge of the campground and was built to hold up to 50,000 Mexican freetail (large) bats. For insect control, though there are far fewer that live in it, I think.
The way to see the bats is to take a folding chair near the bat house just before dusk. If the campground is open many others will join you. Soon they will begin dropping out of the bottom of the bat house and taking off in every direction like little fighter planes, off to seek insects. It is a continuing process that builds in numbers. I have had them brush branches right near my head. It is fascinating to watch, and there is often enough background light to film their flights.

In the spring, summer and fall back in Ohio, the bats would often come out in the early evening to feed. If one would toss a ball or other object in the air during this time, the bats would dive at it to see if it might be food. Those were the days of simple pleasures.

We have a colony of bats living in the large masonry wall that separates us from our neighbors. We live in a corner CYV. We enjoy siting in the Lanai at dusk having a glass of wine and watching them come out for the evening.

Bats are incredibly helpful in the ecosystem. They gulp down tons of mosquitos (which cause more human illness and death than any other living thing). They keep our environment balanced.