Vampire bats

Now it's October, a time for spookiness and creepy crawlies. Vampire bats are a special kind of animal linked to Halloween. They're associated with eerie haunted places, dungeons, caves, castles and graveyards. There's many species of bats, although the creepy ones are vampire bats. 

Author Bram Stoker created Dracula. One of the traits of the vampire nobleman was the ability to shapeshift into a bat. It's always been considered unlucky to dream of bat mainly because they were once thought to be harbingers of death. While bats always have been regarded as creatures of witchcraft and demons, the discovery of blood drinking bats in the New World during the 16th century only increased their reputation into horror lore. Stoker was responsible for bringing vampire bats to Transylvania. All of his vampire bats originally come from the Americas.  

In reality, vampire bats mostly feast on the blood of farm animals and birds, as these are mostly outdoors. They don't suck blood! They sip blood from wounds. Just a small minority of bats drink blood in total of about 3 species, while the majority of bats prefer fruity meals, sometimes with insects and nectar. You can be rest assured that nearly all of the local bats here in Europe are interested in some nice chopped bananas and figs. 

Shadow Girl       

Black Flash and Spring-Heeled Jack

This is one of the most unusual stories to occur in September set in Provincetown in Massachusetts. 

It started in September 1938, which was sightings of a tall eerie figure in a hooded cape, dark clothes and fire breathing. He had shining blue or red eyes and very large silver ears. Some say that he wore a mask. He was capable of leaping over 10 ft high fences and jump up onto the rooftops. His cape flapped like wings. 

"The Black Flash" is what they call him as he's now an urban legend. He always liked to jump out and scare people. He found it funny and laughed so much. His laughter sounded cruel and mocking. Someone was so scared they took a shot at him but he only laughed at them and appeared unfazed.  

Men tackled him The Black Flash but he overpowered them all and got away. Well, he stood about 8 ft tall! Not only did he torment people, but he also breathed fire! The flames that come out of his mouth was blue in colour.   

He caused a lot of panic throughout the town. He made a regular shocking appearance many times each year and then he stopped in 1945. Police cornered him once and he jumped so high that he escaped. And the last time he was seen was when local children flung hot water at him and he ran off. That was it. Often evil spirits flee from water. No one has seen him since then, which makes many outsiders and sceptics think it was a prankster. That's some joke! 

This entity sounds a lot like the English legendary "Spring-heeled Jack", who terrorised people around London and Liverpool during Victorian times. Spring Heeled Jack was first seen in 1837. This entity was also like The Black Flash, who did similar great leaps onto rooftops and he could breathe fire! 

Some believe this was all party tricks! Of Spring-heeled Jack, it's theorised this prankster was really the Irish nobleman Henry Beresford, the Marquess of Waterford. If so, that was impressive! A fantastic costume and amazing trickery set for Halloween. 

Maybe someone borrowed the idea of Spring-heeled Jack for Provincetown? or if not, was it just mass hysteria? With police involvement, well no. Or was it an unknown entity of paranormal origins?  

Shadow Girl