7 Spooky Bats

10.21.25

By Paul Hormick 

It’s October and nearly Halloween, a time when ghouls, ghosts, tricks, and treats are upon us. Bats have long been part of this spooky fun, and we all love to add a little mischief to the holiday as we adorn our front porches, windows, apparel, and just about anywhere with bat imagery. Bats aren’t really scary, but in the spirit of Halloween merriment, Bat Conservation International presents the seven spookiest bats!

Common Pipistrelle Bat

Thousands of years ago, when ancient Celts celebrated Samhain, the holiday that evolved into our present-day Halloween, the ancient inhabitants of Europe built large evening bonfires. The flames attracted moths and the moths attracted bats, thus establishing the association of bats with Halloween.

As the most common bat in the British Isles and a common bat throughout the rest of Europe, many of these creatures were most likely common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), a small insectivorous species.  This unassuming brown bat, common to woodlands and farms, is our number one spookiest bat because it was there from the start, adding a little more mystery to the festive fall holiday.

Painted Bat

With their black and orange wings carrying them over woodlands and grasslands, painted bats (Kerivoula picta) resemble flying jack-o-lanterns as they flutter close to the ground in search of of insects and spider prey. They have orange heads and thick orange fur covers the bodies of these small bats native to portions of India and Southeast Asia.

Unfortunately, the eerie beauty of these creatures of the night has led to painted bats being hunted as souvenirs, detrimentally affecting their populations. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists this species as Near Threatened.

Ghost Bat

While we’re on the subject of appearances, the ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) can be pretty spooky. The pale skin membranes of their wings give these bats a phantasmal appearance as they fly through the night skies of their native Northeast Australia. The largest member of the microbat family—comparable in size to megabats, such as flying foxes—ghost bats “haunt” a wide range of habitats, from open woodlands and arid areas to tropical rainforests. These bat specters prefer to roost in deep caves or abandoned mines. They munch on insects, but their diet also includes reptiles, small mammals, and birds.

Peter’s Ghost-Faced Bat

These bats may not fly like ghosts, but their faces can be ghoulish. Peter’s ghost-faced bats (Mormoops megalophylla), have small, curving ears that frame their short skulls and flattened faces, giving them a smashed in, devilish appearance. They are fast flyers, able to reach speeds of close to 23 miles an hour as they hunt and devour moths. Ghost-faced bats live in and spook the residents of southern Texas, Mexico, and Central America. They can be found lurking in a wide range of habitats, from humid to arid, as long as the climate remains warm.

Theobald’s Tomb Bat & Mauritian Tomb Bat

Crypts and graveyards are often part of the Halloween fun, as folks dress up their yards with cartoonish gravestones. And the Theobald’s tomb bat (Taphozous theobaldi) fits right in with this decor as it roosts in caves, crevices, and—you guessed it—tombs. This hair-raising demon is found in southwestern China, Southeast Asia, and various isolated regions of India. The Mauritian tomb bat (Taphozous mauritianus) can also be found roosting in tombs in addition to roosting on the sides of buildings or tree trunks. A native to central and southern Africa and Madagascar, the Mauritian tomb bat is noted for its exceptional eyesight. They also present a mystery for researchers, having left no fossil record for scientific study. 

Common Vampire Bat

And of course, what would Halloween spookiness be without Dracula and blood-sucking vampires? The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is hence an obvious choice for completing our spooky bat list. Unlike Dracula, this resident of Mexico, Central, and South America doesn’t actually suck blood. Rather, these swift-footed sanguivores (They can crawl along the ground at up to 2.5 mph) sneak up on large mammals, such as tapirs, cows, horses, and pigs, while they sleep at night. Using their very sharp incisors, the bats cut small wounds in the flesh of their prey. They then sip blood from the wound.

This blood diet has actually helped humans. As the vampire bats lap up their bloody dinners, proteins in their saliva prevent the blood from coagulating. The discovery of this protein has led scientists to develop a medication used to prevent strokes in humans. So maybe the common vampire bat isn’t so spooky after all.

As you get into the spirit of Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), or any other spooky celebration you may have at this time of year, remember that bats are friends, not foes. With your help, Bat Conservation International is fighting the truly frightening battles of habitat destruction, environmental degradation, and extinction for bats around the world.

Paul Hormick, author of the environmental newsletter The Green Dispatch, has spent the last 22 years writing about music, food, and the environment.