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Pallid Bats (Antrozous pallidus) are large, pale bats with a long wingspread. The head and body are about 5-inches long, and
the wingspan is about 18 inches. When seen in flight, these bats can be recognized by their long wings. The ears are large (longer than 1 inch) and not joined across the forehead. The nose is simple.
Around Las Vegas, these are the largest bats.
Pallid bats occur throughout western North America (barely into Canada, south into central Mexico) in arid and semi-arid areas. Pallid bats catch larger flying insects (e.g., beetles, grasshoppers, and moths) on the wing, but they also catch scorpions, ground beetles, and even lizards on the ground. Pallid bats catch insects on flowers and thereby pollinate some species of cactus.
Taxonomy: Order: Chiroptera, Family: Vespertilionidae |