Fargo, N.D. – Erin Gillam, assistant professor of biological sciences at NDSU, is scheduled to present the April Science Cafe, titled “Beauty and the Bat; Tales From Life’s Only Flying Mammal,” on Tuesday, April 10, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Stokers Basement, Hotel Donaldson.

The talk will focus on a variety of topics related to the biology of bats, including common myths (bats don’t actually fly into your hair, but vampire bats are real), and information about types of food eaten and habitats used by bat species around the world. She’ll also share little-known tidbits such as certain bats live primarily in spider webs and some male bats produce complex mating songs to attract females.

“When many people think of bats, the first things to come to mind are images of Dracula and other scary creatures of the night. Despite the generally bad reputation of bats, these fascinating animals are an important part of many ecosystems and exhibit a wide variety of interesting behaviors,” Gillam said.

Gillam also will share research being conducted at NDSU on local bat populations in North Dakota, as well as White-Nose Syndrome, an emerging infectious disease that poses the biggest threat to North American bats in recorded history. 

Attendees must be 21 or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian. Science Café, sponsored by NDSU’s College of Science and Mathematics, features a presentation by a scientist and time for discussion with the scientist and other attendees.