National Weather Service In Phoenix Radar Shows A Huge Colony Of Bats

The National Weather Service in Phoenix saw something pretty cool on the radar Sunday night. Sadly, it wasn't the much-needed rain though. It was a colony of bats.

The radar images displayed a "blossoming" motion over a large portion of the Valley.

National Weather Service meteorologist Sean Benedict told AZ Family ,"That doesn't look like a normal shower, the way everything is sort of fanning out. They don't really have a uniform direction. That's usually your clue that it's probably animals flying around."

Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist Angie McIntire says that because of the time of day they were seen on the radar, the colony was most like Mexican free-tailed bats. "I was really excited because I thought there's a possibility that it's a new colony that I wasn't aware of," she said.

The bats were mostly likely leaving a cave, tunnel, or bridge and then dispersing to find bugs to eat. It's most common to see bats flying around in the fall when they're on the move.

McIntire said, "Mexican free-tail bats would probably be going to Mexico to spend the winter. Some of them stay over winter here in Phoenix."

According to Arizona Game and Fish, it's completely safe to watch for bats and the best time is at sunset along caves and tunnels.

Photo Credit: Getty