Weaver Bat

Through the spring and summer, the Starfly Forest is perpetually dim due to the thick canopy of leaves blocking the light. They lose their leaves at the end of autumn, but the forest remains dark due to the roosts of the weaver bats.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Weaver bats have a wingspan of about four feet. They have unusually large feet for a bat, with claws on each foot. They have small, mouse-shaped ears and a thin, pointed snout. Their mouth is full of small, sharp teeth and they have little stubs for a tail.

Genetics and Reproduction

Bats mate at the end of autumn. A male bat builds a roost and then chirps to attract a female. If a female likes a bat's roost, they will mate and then hibernate together in his roost. The female stores the sperm until the end of winter, and gives birth at the start of spring. Babies are raised within their roost for the first few weeks of life.

Ecology and Habitats

They live in wet, swampy forests. Weaver bats always make an impact on their habitat due to the large roosts they construct from reeds and vines. Throughout the warm months, they allow the roosts to deteriorate. At the end of autumn, they build them up again so that once the leaves fall, the sky is still blocked throughout the forest by all the roosts.
Each roost is constructed by a male bat stringing vines between branches to build a base, and then weaving a suspended shell out of reeds and dry grass. Many bats work together to create a common net to suspend their roosts from. Leaves falling above get caught on the nets, further covering the sky.
The main purpose of the roosts is to create a warm environment to hibernate through the winter that can then be used to nurture young at the start of spring. The roosts are only accessible by a small hole in the bottom and lined with a layer of mud and spit, which helps insulate. The bats stay toasty and warm throughout the cold winters.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They eat small fish, frogs, or lizards. They hunt during the day to snatch prey out of the swamp.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Along the southern coast of Kaabara and east coast of Cuyania.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

These bats do not have echolocation, although their hearing is still pretty good. They have excellent eyesight with three-dimensional monochrome vision.

Lifespan

20 years

Average Height

15 inches from nose to tail

Average Weight

3 lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Fur comes in shades of reddish brown. They have a white stripe on either side of their nose.