Bat Specimen

Usually this blog focuses on the areas of comic books, games, and other entertainment. This past weekend I found something truly amazing that rekindled the love of biology and specimen collecting that got me through some dark moments in high school. Of course back then I was doing summer water surveying and tree studies for the state as part of a grant program with my high school.

I spotted this poor little bat while visiting family this past weekend. Those marks on the floor are rust, fyi, not anything gruesome.

The bat died of seemingly natural causes and was well-preserved in it's dry spot on the cement under a car port. After determining most viruses would not still be alive in the body (thanks internet) I collected the bat in the only plastic container I had handy, an empty Starbucks water cup.

The bat is in excellent shape and so I've decided to "immortalize" it by attempting some preservation. I'll update more once I get the time to work on it, but I promise no graphic photos will be published here!