Hi everyone! I hope you all had a good week!

I have some fun news for the people living in the Phoenix, AZ area! Later this month, 10,000 Mexican free-tailed bats will make their summer migration. Every year, these bats make the same trip to the same flood-control tunnel in Arcadia, AZ where they will have their pups. If you do go visit the incoming colony, please respect their space and keep back from them. The Arizona Fish and Wildlife department has put up signs on the fencing around the tunnel to teach people about these amazing bats.

If you visit and would like to see the bats flying around, they send out a “tester bat” that leaves the tunnel about 15 minutes before sunset. If all is clear, the other bats will follow and go out to hunt. Mexican free-tailed bats can travel up to 100 miles per hour, and can be found hunting for bugs up to 20 miles away! Sadly, these bats are only in this tunnel for a limited time, and will leave the roost in late August to early September. The bats will return home to their winter roosts in Mexico until it is time to come back next year.

If you would like to read more about where to find these bats you can do so here.

I hope you all have a good week.