13 facts you should know about bats, black cats and rats – and other Halloween wildlife - PennLive

While zombies, werewolves and ghosts inhabit an area of the Halloween season beyond science, the real creatures connected to the season bring some incredible abilities to the spooky table.

Here are 13 glimpses into the lives of creatures from bats to spiders:

Yes, there are vampire bats that do indeed drink blood, but they are not in Pennsylvania. Bats native to Pennsylvania – all insect-eaters – are the little brown bat, northern long-eared bat, Indiana bat, small-footed bat, silver-haired bat, tri-colored bat, big brown bat, red bat and hoary bat.

Bats are the only flying mammal. Some of the 1,300-plus species worldwide can fly at more than a 100 mph, which makes bats the fastest mammal.

Black cats have stronger immune systems than cats of other colors because the gene mutation that causes the black coats also impart some added immunity, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Crow communities hold a grudge for generations, according to research at the University of Washington. The researchers donned caveman masks while capturing, banding and releasing seven crows. When they later wore the masks while walking across campus, the crows scolded and dive-bombed them. When they repeated the exercise 10 years later, more than half of the crows on campus raised alarm at the sight of the caveman mask.

The large black birds also have been shown to gather for something akin to funerals and wakes for dead comrades. Researchers think the behavior helps crow communities learn about potential threats (like those researchers in caveman masks), so that they know which locations and predators to avoid in the future.

The eyes of an owl are tube-shaped and completely immobile, providing binocular vision which fully focuses on their prey and boosts depth perception, but requires large head movements to change line of sight. To aid with that, owl can rotate their necks 270 degrees. A blood-pooling system collects blood to power their brains and eyes when neck movement cuts off circulation.

Owls are zygodactyl, which means their feet have two forward-facing toes and two backward-facing toes. Unlike most other zygodactyl birds, however, owls can pivot one of their back toes forward to help them grip and walk. The most common foot in the bird world is the anisodactyl pattern, with the first pointing backward and the other three digits pointing forward.

Rats' teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, which can extend as long as seven years. They chew almost constantly to keep them sharp and at a useful length. They can exert 24,000 pounds of pressure per square inch through those teeth, which are strong enough to cut through concrete and metal pipe.

Rats are often ranked with dolphins and chimpanzees in terms of intelligence because of their ability to memorize routes and solve puzzles.

There are 21 species of snakes native to Pennsylvania, but only three are venomous: timber rattlesnake, massasauga rattlesnake and northern copperhead.

The black rat snake is the largest species native to Pennsylvania. They can grow to 8 feet and longer. It's also among the most common snake species in the state.

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Black widow spiders are not the deadliest spiders on Earth, but they are the most venomous species native to Pennsylvania. Their venom is stronger than that of rattlesnakes. It employs alpha-latrotoxin, which overwhelms nerve cells and causes severe pain.

All spiders in Pennsylvania have fangs and most carry venom, but most spider bites have no effect on humans, except those with strong allergic reactions, compromised immune systems and other medical conditions. Most spiders are too small to deliver much of a bite and some cannot penetrate the human epidermis.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.

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