The bat honor is a fairly new honor that is a lot of fun.  One of the requirements is to build or purchase a bat house, and then observe it for three months.  So if you are teaching the bat honor you may want to start early in the Pathfinder year so that it can be completed before the end of the year.  Or have the Pathfinders observe the bat house throughout the summer then report back at the beginning of the next year.  While you are building bat houses you may want to build several extra for your local nature center so that bats in you area will have a place to live other than condemned buildings.  Bats are good for the environment!  Building the bat houses for a nature center would also be considered for community service credit.  If you want information on how to construct bat houses, check out the Bat Conservation International website.

Museum of Natural History - Mammals - has a list of bats found in Georgia

Another fun thing to do would be to take the Pathfinders somewhere that they could observe bats leaving at dusk to hunt for food.  Here are a couple of locations in the south where bats can be observed.  Check with your local wildlife agencies or check the internet for other locations.

• Bats 4 Kids
• Bat Watching - Places to View Bats in Alabama
  

Bats species: Gray bats* (maternity colony of approx. 100,000), Indiana bats* (hibernating population)
Best time to see bats: Late Apr. to early Oct.; binoculars helpful
Interpretive programs: Interpretive kiosk; volunteers present on specific dates to help answer questions and to give brief programs
Special attractions: Observation platform allows rare opportunity to see dusk flight of endangered bats leaving cave--emergence lasts about 45 minutes
Open: Year-round
Where: 20 mi. W of Chattanooga, I-24 W to New Hope/Haletown exit, SW on Hwy. 156, 5 mi. to TVA Maple View Public Use Area, follow trail to platform
For more information: Judith Bartlow, Natural Areas Coordinator, Tennessee Valley Authority, Natural Resources Bldg., Norris, TN 78828; 615-632-1592

Bat species: Big brown bats, little brown bats, red bats, evening bats
Best time to see bats: Summer
Interpretive programs: Park emphasizes conservation education, especially to youth; regularly scheduled night walks; bats often spotted and discussed during campfire talks; BCI slide programs used
Special attractions: Hiking, horseback riding, boating, fishing, camping
Open: Year-round
Where: 2 mi. SE of Kingsport, exit 59 off I-81
For more information: Marty Silver, Park Naturalist, Warriors' Path State Park, P.O. Box 5026, Kingsport, TN 37663; 615-239-8531

Bat species: Gray bats* (maternity colony of approx. 500,000)
Best time to see bats: Summer
Interpretive programs: Interpretive sign; ranger-led programs available for groups, upon request
Special attractions: Largest bat emergence in eastern U.S., lasts an hour or more
Open: Year-round
Where: 7 mi. SE of Scottsboro on I-72; just after crossing Sauty Creek Embayment, turn left on first road, park near gate and walk 100 yds. to conspicuous lower cave entrance
For more information: Tuck Stone, Manager, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Rt. 4, Box 250, Decatur, AL 35603; 205-350-6639 Blowing Wing Cave National Wildlife Refuge

Bat species: Gray bats* (maternity colony of approx. 250,000)
Best time to see bats: Summer
No interpretive programs
Special attractions: Unusual opportunity to see large numbers of bats exiting over a lake; bass fishing
Open: Year-round
Where: Accessible by boat only; cave is approx. 2 mi. upstream from Guntersville Dam, NW of Guntersville; boat rentals available in Honeycomb Creek area
For more information: Judith Bartlow, Natural Areas Coordinator, Tennessee Valley Authority, Natural Resources Bldg., Norris, TN 78828; 615-632-1592