The bats that inhabit the Orient Mine are Brazilian Free-tail bats. This is a migrating species and they are here only during the summer. The time of their arrival depends on many factors. One of those factors is the bug population. The bats feed on insects and if there are no bugs to eat, there will be no bats. This spring was cool and the bug population was slow to develop. If you are interested in taking the hike up to the mine to see the bat out flight, call the Welcome Center at 719-256-4315 for the most up to date information.