01.Feb.2011 [parameters] The Swarm : BATS

The bat swarm initially appears to be a single mass, but the system is composed of individuals that react to local conditions. These reactions are triggered by variables and parameters generated by the bat itself and its surrounding environment. There are two main states that promote bat behavior, the first, bats inside the cave and the second, outside the cave, marked by dusk and dawn.

At dusk, the bat swarm leaves the cave traveling out as a colony that can be more than a million bats and the swarm sub divides into smaller groups to forage and hunt. At dawn, the bats return to the cave to sleep and begin the cycle again.

There are multiple types of bats that rely on different food sources, a result of their jaw and wing structure, altering the methods in which they hunt. During a season of low food availability, bats either migrate or hibernate. Bats with broader wing structures can fly longer distances at slow speeds and usually migrate to places that have abundant food sources. Bats with narrow wing structures fly faster, with less maneuverability and travel shorter distances, tend to hibernate. During travel and hunting of prey, bats use echolocation. Transmitting different frequencies allows bats to target their prey, which they can differentiate speed and movement.

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