Bats are insect-eating machines, eating thousands of flying insects in a single night!
That’s one reason why gardeners should help bats.
And one way you can help bats is by planting a pollinator garden. The plants attract insects, and the insects pollinate the plants. Bats are a player in that, too, by keeping the insect population in check.
We have nine species of bats in New York State and they all eat insects, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Bat Week, which is held Oct. 24 through 31, is a time to look at the important role bats play in our environment.
Little brown bats
One of the species here in Western New York is the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus).
Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County is one spot in Western New York to see the little brown bat during the warmer months.
But as temperatures decrease in autumn and the number of insects diminish, bats hibernate in caves or mines for the winter. Since 2006, cave bats in the state have been devastated by a fungal disease known as White-nose syndrome. Recently, scientists have found some evidence of recovery of the once-common little brown bat, according to the DEC. That’s good news for little brown bats, but other species haven’t fared as well.
You can protect little brown bats and other cave bats by avoiding caves and mines, which may be home to hibernating bats, from November through April.
White-nose syndrome makes bats very sensitive to disturbances during hibernation, causing them to use up their energy stores too quickly before spring. Even a single, seemingly quiet visit can kill bats that would otherwise survive the winter.
If you see hibernating bats, assume you are doing harm and leave immediately. This is so important that anyone entering a listed bat hibernation site from November 1 through April 30 may be subject to prosecution.