Bats often get a bad wrap. Detractors refer to them as flying rodents or big insects, but bats are in a category all their own—flying mammals (Chiroptera, from the Greek meaning “hand” and “wing”). They flap their spread, membrane-covered digits, soaring through the night sky. They are a crucial part of our eco-system, keeping insect numbers in check, pollinating flowers, and dispersing fruit seeds, and their poop is excellent fertilizer. On Sunday, March 14, at 2 p.m., learn more about the webbed-winged critters at the lecture Bats: What Hollywood Doesn’t Want You to Know, given by bat expert Mary Wenzel, at the Goleta Public Library (500 N. Fairview Ave.). Call 964-7879 for more info on this free event.