Enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, glowsticks while detecting bat species

Get your Halloween on a little early this year and join Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for a fun, free Bat Glow Walk at Miles City's Pirogue Island State Park on Monday, Oct. 28 from 5-7 p.m. Costumes and glowsticks are encouraged, and some glowsticks will be available.

Accompany FWP Region 7 non-game biologist Amanda Hall and non-game technician Ella Engelhard as they stroll around Pirogue Island and use hand-held monitors and science apps designed to “detect” sounds from various species of bats found in eastern Montana. Most bat calls are too high pitched to be heard by human ears, but the monitors convert their calls to sounds we can hear, and help biologists to identify what species of bats they are.

Participants should meet in the Pirogue Island parking area at 5 p.m. for a brief talk on FWP’s bat research in southeast Montana. After sunset, walkers will be aided by glowsticks and head lamps (bring them if you’ve got them) as they stroll along watching for bats and “listening” for their calls. This event is for all ages and abilities, and there will be activities for those who prefer not to walk.

Hot chocolate, cookies and candy will be provided, and there will be bat masks and coloring pages available for children, who must be accompanied by an adult.

The glow walk is a chance to learn more about bats. If you’re a bit nervous, don’t worry:

-Bats do NOT randomly attack or bite people – they much prefer insects;

-Bats see just fine and use echolocation to navigate, which means they won’t fly into your hair;

-Less than 1 percent of bats carry or have rabies – no more than any other animal;

-Bats do NOT suck your blood – only vampire bats not found in Montana suck tiny amounts of animal blood;

-And bats are cute in their own way, hugely helpful in eliminating harmful insects and pretty darn interesting!

Pirogue Island State Park is just north of Miles City. For directions, travel north on Highway 59 N to the Kinsey Road/Highway 489. Turn right and follow the highway for two miles to the right-hand turnoff for the park, which is marked with signage. Meet in the parking area near the latrine.