An animal like a mouse with wings, that flies and feeds at night (= it is nocturnal). There are many types of bat. Bat dung has been mined as guano from caves and used as fertilizer. Bats are natural reservoirs of many diseases including rabies; since they are highly mobile, social, and long-lived, they can readily spread diseases. Bats are sometimes numerous enough to serve as tourist attractions, and are used as food across Asia and the Pacific Rim. In many cultures, bats are popularly associated with darkness, death, witchcraft and malevolence.