I would like to dedicate this blog to the memory of Professor Stephen Hawking. Stephen Hawking was an English theoretical physicist who passed away earlier this week at the age of 76. Professor Hawking was a completely amazing person who was diagnosed with ALS when he was 21 and was given only two years to live. Despite his illness, he continued to live a full life and made countless contributions to science. He once said, “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” I think that’s a good rule to live by. Professor Hawking was an inspiration to many people and he will be greatly missed.

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a good week. Since today is St. Patrick’s Day, I thought it would be nice to learn about an Irish bat. I found an adorable bat called the Daubenton’s bat! It has red-brown fur, with a cute pinkish face.

Not only do these bats live in Ireland, they also live in England, Wales, Northern Scotland, and the Isle of Man. They like living in tunnels, bridges, caves, and old stone buildings with good hiding places. They will even roost under rocks on the cave floors and tunnel floors. Since they blend into the color of the rocks, they are nearly impossible to find. In the summer, Daubenton’s bats roost in humid, underground places that are usually close to a body of water. To get their dinner, these bats fly a few centimeters about the water’s surface and catch caddisflies, mayflies, and midges. They will even plunge their feet into the water to get a tasty meal from below the water’s surface.

The population of this species has been affected by damage and loss to the wetlands and waterways where they live. Fortunately, they seem to be making a comeback. This might be because of the increasing number of artificial water bodies in their range.

If you would like to read more about these bats, you can find information here.

I hope everyone has a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Don’t forget to wear green!