Like all bat species, the free-tailed population at Eckert Cave is an integral part of regional ecology. Unfortunately, the enormous environmental significance of bats everywhere has only recently acquired some global public acceptance. For many years, bats were considered menacing creatures to be avoided or destroyed. Bats are finally gaining recognition for their important ecological roles. They are agents of seed dispersal and cross-pollination for many plant species.
Bats also control insect populations.
Every night they scour thousands of acres of countryside searching for food. During these nightly excursions, an individual consumes close to its body weight in insects. Included in their diet are mosquitoes and numerous crop pests such as cutworm and corn borer moths. The management plan developed by BCI and The Nature Conservancy enables stringent protection of the cave and its winged occupants. The plan prevents human entrance to the cave during maternal activity, controls visitation, monitors the bat population, and protects the cave opening.