10 Minutes of Wonder

That's how long it takes 250,000 Mexican free-tail bats to exit their roosts in pursuit of a sky full of food.

I'm lucky to live near a large bat population. It's a brilliant mob of wings that found a perfect blend of free housing under Interstate 80 near Davis, California, and an ideal mix of wetlands and agriculture. The hot weather and bounty of moths, mosquitos, and other insects make it an excellent place to start a bat family.

Hollywood and TV have long villainized bats. Ask spiders and snakes, and they'll shake their heads (Heads?) in agreement. It's easy to find negative opinions about these flying mammals. But even if they creep you out, you can clap (from a distance) for their accomplishments.

Get this: the largest colonies, like the one in San Antonio, eat over 200 tons of pests per NIGHT! Wow.

Ready to get a little closer? See if a colony is near you and time a visit for their nightly bug-binge. A stream of bats pouring into a warm summer evening, also known as a "batnado," is truly magical, short, and a worthy mini adventure.