Molissids eat a variety of insects, such as moths and ones with hard shells, such as beetles and stinkbugs.
Molossids (mol-LOSS-ids; members of the family Molossidae) range widely in size from small to moderately large bats. They have a forearm length of approximately 1.1 to 3.4 inches (2.7 to 8.5 centimeters), and weigh from 0.2 to 3.8 ounces (5 to 167 grams). Free-tailed bats are named for their thick tail that extends far beyond the tail membrane (thin layer of skin). The mastiff bats are named after…
Molossids are generally strong flyers that can fly quickly for long periods of time. Like all bats, these bats are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. These bats fly all night, whereas other bats typically fly a short time during the night. They can fly six or seven hours without stopping. Molossids catch their prey using echolocation (eck-oh-loh-KAY-shun), a technique where the bat detec…
Physical characteristics: Naked bats are the largest molossids, with a head and body length ranging from 4.5 to 5.8 inches (11.5 to 14.5 centimeters). They weigh from 3.2 to 5.7 ounces (96 to 170 grams). Also called naked bulldog bats, these bats are almost completely hairless. They have scattered short hairs and bits of longer hair around a scent gland on their neck. This haired gland produces a …
Physical characteristics: Also called the Mexican free-tailed bat, Brazilian free-tailed bats are small to medium in size, with a total head and body length of approximately 3.8 inches (9.5 centimeters). Geographic range: Brazilian free-tailed bats are found in the southern half of the United States, as well as Mexico, Central America, South America to southern Chile and Argentina, and much of the…
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