Bat House Forum

[steveola]

We are trying to create a database of species on our property.  Can anyone identify this, what I think is a, bat?

http://stevejamison.homestead.com/gonebatty.html

Thanks in advance,

Steve Jamison

New Jersey

http://stevejamison.homestead.com

 

 

[Joe Spencer]

Steve, do you have any other photos of this?  I'm just not seeing this one clearly enough.  Taking a photo with sufficient natural light and no flash would help with rendering the colors correctly as well.

[steveola]

No other photos exist, it was taken without flash with a camera phone.  Bat has seen fit to find other accomodations. 

[Erik]

Hi Steve, to be honest, I don't think this is a bat. The picture is not that blur, the screening is pretty visible.
There are no feet with toes visible, as well as no arms (with thumbs) or head. There doesn't appear to be a fur. A head is also not visible.
I also don't think it is a bat without the skin (caused by predator) because the "bats" knees are bend the wrong way. The knees of bats are turned 180 degrees. The bend to the back, where our knees bend to the front. The "bat" on the picture has "knees" that bend to the front or a little bit sideways (like a frog). Could be a piece of a skinned frog????

But is it something organic anyway?  There is a pretty sharp line between dark and light on the bottom of this thing....

I don't think it is a bat, but what it is.....? I don't know...

Erik

[IowaNate]

What you have is a small moth that has evolved to look like bird droppings. We have similar moths like this in Iowa. The head is facing up with the two long front legs protruding forward. One leg is also protruding from the body in the right side of the photo. The wings are folded back. These moths tend to be 1 to 2 inches in length.

 

       I hope this helps! It seems that the critter you are trying to indentify is actually bat food.

[Joe Spencer]

Last week I looked at this again and thought it was a moth. I'm glad you have the same opinion.  I hadn't thought of the bird dropping disguise to discourage.  Nice Nate!  Maybe someone sometime can confirm the moth species.  Quite amazing.

[IowaNate]

      I found what seems to be the exact same moth...commonly called the "Wood Nymph". The species is Eudryas grata.

[KC5TPA]

Looks the same to me.

[Erik]

Wow Nate,  that's the same species indeed! It looked so strange, I couldn't believe it was a moth!

Erik