No, this isn’t a vampire movie, and there are only three bat species that actually feed on blood. Bats have always fascinated me. I know, yes, then can carry rabies carriers so handling them without taking precaution is a bad idea. But did you ever wonder why we call them bats?
As a word nerd, I wonder about such things.
Bat, rat, dog, frog…they’re all short little words that have a much longer history than you’d guess. But let’s unravel “bat” for now.
Like many of the shortest words in the English language, bat has a connection to Northern European cultures—most likely Old Swedish, Old Danish, and Old Norse.
Old Swedish: natbakka “night bat”
Old Danish: nathbakkæ “night bat”
Old Norse: leðrblaka “leather flapper”
Gotta love the Old Norse…leather flapper. I think that may be my favorite, because well..it’s just so obvious!
Here, the root looks even older. It may have originated in the theoretical Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language root *bhlag- which means to strike, as in flagellum, which is a Latin word for a type of whip or a whiplike appendage. If that’s accurate, then way back when in the history of humanity, you might have been calling them the PIE version of “flapper.” Of course, some of this is based on research and educated guesses made by linguists, especially the PIE root words, so it’s possible there’s more to that story.
And, speaking of more to the story…the Old English word for bat was hreremus, from hreran, “to shake.” We also have rattle-mouse and flitter-mouse in the 16th century, reminiscent of the German word for bats: fledermaus. And in Russian, you’d hear летучая мышь (phonetically: letuchaya mysh), which also means flitter-mouse.
As you can probably guess by now, many words have some foundation how bats move. They fly, but not quite like birds. Instead, they flitter and flutter around, seemingly with little control over their bodies.
But if you know anything about bats, you know that isn’t quite true either. For example, the insect-eating bumblebee bat, is only about an inch long and mostly eats flying insects. Bats have some of the best natural hearing in the world and these bats use it to locate and snag their in-flight snack. Each of these tiny bats can eat dozens or more insects every night, including our favorite flying disease-carrier: the mosquito.
So, if you see bats flittering around at night—say a quiet “thank you” for their service.
But wait, there’s more! The biggest bat in the world has a massive wingspan of nearly five feet. But the golden-crowned flying fox only eats fruit and is usually out during the day. They forage visually and don’t use echolocation to track down fruit, which makes sense, given that fruit isn’t going to run away. These bats are seed spreaders. They help ensure the plants that produce the fruit they eat continue to produce fruit for generations of people and animals.
Bats really aren’t the scary things horror movies and folk stories have made them out to be. They may not be as cute or cuddly as a puppy or kitten, but they’re critical to the environment. At least some of the over 1,400 species worldwide are threatened or endangered because of harassment, collecting, or habitat loss.
Bats in Mythology and Symbolism
Bats are important in the mythology of many ancient cultures. Among the Australian Aboriginal tribes, bats are often connected to creation stories and seen as the custodians of the night. In Egypt, bats and the Goddess of the Night, Nuit were connected—bats were protectors of the tombs.
Like other unusual animals, bats also have several origin stories…like this one:
The unhappy birds
In some areas of southern India, folktales say that bats began as unhappy birds, yearning to be human. They went to the temples and prayed to become human. Their prayers were answered, sort of. They were given hair, teeth, and human-ish faces, but still had their wings. The “unhappy birds were so ashamed of their new appearance that they became active only at night.
Bats in fables
Sometimes fables make their way around the world in some form or another. In southern Nigeria, Australia, and ancient Rome a story about a great war between the beasts and birds is taking place. The details change slightly, depending on the culture, but the basic story doesn’t change.
During the war, the bats switch sides repeatedly, trying to be on the winning side. When the beasts and birds finally declare a truce, both sides reject the bats because of their dishonest behavior during the war.
Batty Symbolism
It’s not all negativity for our batty friends though, because in Chinese mythology bats symbolize good fortune and happiness. People often see them as bringing blessings to families. In others, like Mesoamerican mythology, bats are reminders of the circle of life and embody creation and destruction.
Conclusion
So, flying rodent or unhappy bird? Maybe they’re a bit of both—or neither. Bats defy simple labels. They’re ancient, misunderstood, and vital. The next time you see one flitter by, remember that they’re more than spooky silhouettes—bats are vital seed spreaders and insect hunters extraordinaire.
