It's likely that more people prefer baseball bats over the animal, but do baseball bats help with pest control? Nope. Julia Robson, from Waukesha County Parks, is here to talk about why instead of fearing bats we should love them!
October is Bat Appreciation Month and, while it may seem on theme for Halloween, they aren't actually out to get you. Most bats work towards making life easier for us! Waukesha County Parks wants to make sure we know what bats actually do for the environment. By debunking some myths, hopefully you will feel at ease the next time you see a new friend in the sky.
Myth 1: Bats are bloodsucking vampires that want to attack you
- With 1,400+ species of bats around the world, only 3 of them are vampire bats that drink blood.
- Bats are mainly insect eaters and pollinators. This is a critical role for a variety of plants, like agave. That means if there are no bats, there is no tequila!
- All of the 8 bat species in Wisconsin are insectivorous.
Myth 2: Bats are pests
- Bats work as a natural pest control! Scientists estimate that bats may save U.S. farmers roughly $23 billion each year by reducing crop damage and limiting the need for pesticides.
- Bats can eat half their body weight in insects in one night. That's about 1,200 mosquito!
- Unlike mice, bats are some of the slowest reproducing mammals in the world. They produce 1 pup a year and live for 40.
Myth 3: Bats are blind
- Bats actually aren't blind, but there is a variation in vision from species to species.
- Wisconsin bats rely on echolocation to navigate and hunt in the dark. They can see just as well as humans can in the dark!
- The bat population is monitored by equipment that detects their echolocation.
Because of the decline in the bat population, it is important to take care of where you are and what you leave behind. Without our bat friends, people will have to deal with issues they never realized could be so bad!
For more information visit waukeshacounty.gov/citizenscience.