Bats aren’t Scary! | 8 Things You Can Do to Help the Bats
Did you know bats are pollinators too? Maybe people aren’t saying “save the bees” but instead are saying “save the b’s! - bees, birds, bats, and other bugs”! They are all pollinators and equally important. However, today, in honor of the spooky season, we are thinking about bats.
Unfortunately most bat species around the world are endangered or at severe risk to be endangered (mostly due to humans!). From the destruction of their natural habitats, a decrease in their food supply, disease, or people outright killing them.
Over 300 food-producing plants rely on bats as a pollinator. Guavas, bananas, cacao, mangos, figs, dates, cashews, peaches are just some of the foods that will cease to exist without bats.
What can you do to help bats?
Reduce the use of pesticides. These are killing their food supply! Bats are natural pest eaters. They will come in at night and eat bugs. One bat can also eat about 600 mosquitos in one hour. Georgia State estimated that bats eat enough insects to save the North American agricultural industry $50 billion in pesticides. Wow! Bats will eat garden pests such as cutworm moths, chafer beetles, potato beetles, and spotted cucumber beetles.
Put up a bat house if you have the space in your yard. Only do this if you have ensured you have no entry ways for the bats to get into your own house. Bats can fit into holes the size of a quarter!
Don’t disturb bats. Don’t enter caves or their habitats while they are hibernating. Disturbance can cause them to use up their stored fat reserves and starve to death.
Protect water supply. You should do this anyway, but be mindful of what goes down the drain and don’t litter! Bats, like all animals, drink water. Contaminated water can kill them or kill their food supply.
Plant an organic bat garden. Fragrant flowers, herbs, and night blooming plants all attract bats. Dahlia, thyme, raspberry, or honeysuckle are great additions to your garden that will attract insects.
Leave old/dead trees up if possible. Of course don’t leave a tree up if it is causing damage to your property or could hurt someone, but this is where they like to seek shelter. If you leave these up they are less likely to be an unwelcome guest inside your house.
Donate to Bat Conservation International They are working to conserve the world’s bats and ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet.
Simply spread the word, bats aren’t scary! They get a bad rep which causes some people to kill them out of fear. Bats are cute, necessary, and not scary!
