Creepin’ it Real: Why Bats Don’t Suck
By: U.S. Fish, Wildlife Service
Tags: Usfws, Pollinators, Conservation, Vampires, Bats

How We Benefit From Bats

Although they might be cast in the role of creepy creatures of the night, bats are actually unsung superheroes vital to the health of our environment and our economy. By providing a number of services from pollination to seed dispersal (through their poop!), many ecosystems and agricultural systems wouldn’t survive without bats.

There’s no denying that during this festive season, tequila would be sorely missed if there were no bats to pollinate agave plants. Without bats, you could also say goodbye to your morning smoothies because bats are key pollinators for mangoes, peaches, guava and bananas. And you know the pumpkin spice everything we all crave this time of year? Well, pumpkin spice requires cloves, and — you guessed it — bats are key pollinators for cloves.

Pumpkin Spice Latte. Getty Images

Our winged friends are also the midwatch vanguards of pest control, saving crops from cucumber beetles, stink bugs, leafhoppers and June bugs. In fact, bats eat so many insects that studies estimate their economic impact to be more than $1 billion per year in avoided crop damage and pesticide costs in the U.S. corn industry alone. Across all agricultural production, consumption of insect pests by bats results in a savings of at least $3.7 billion per year. This also means fewer insects that carry diseases like malaria and West Nile virus. And since bats eat so many insects — many of which have shiny exoskeletons — some bats have guano that sparkles. So, maybe your favorite tween vampire movie wasn’t so far off, after all?

Bats are real wing-mates for human health, too. Scientists have been studying bats to understand their exceptional tolerance to DNA damage, parasites and viruses, in the hopes of finding a way to improve human resilience against RNA viruses like Ebola and coronaviruses, parasites like malaria and DNA damage from cancers. Scientists have also been studying the saliva of bats in an effort to develop a medication for stroke patients.

Oh, and you’ll never guess what they named it.

Draculin.

A drug named after a vampire, derived from a vampire bat, which was named after vampires.

M-E-T-A.

Randall Cobb Mind Blown. Giphy

Threats to Bats

As fun as it is to deal in the macabre when it comes to scary stories about bats, these amazing animals need our help. Bats are declining across the globe. Disease, habitat loss and human activity, including disruption during hibernation, all play a major role in the decline of bat populations worldwide.

In North America, a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome has claimed the lives of more than 6 million bats since it was first documented in 2006. White-nose syndrome has since spread at alarming rates, making it one of the deadliest wildlife diseases on the continent.

A bat with white-nose syndrome. Photo by USFWS

The tell-tale fungus that causes white-nose syndrome is primarily spread from bat to bat, but it can also be spread from the environment to bats, as the fungus can survive for many years in the soil in caves and mines where bats hibernate. Scientists have demonstrated that it may be possible for humans to inadvertently carry fungal spores on their clothes or equipment, which can facilitate its spread to new areas.

What We’re Doing to Help Bats

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is working with our partners to protect bats, research treatment and management options to halt the spread of white-nose syndrome, and raise awareness about just how incredible and vulnerable bats are.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National White-Nose Syndrome Assistant Coordinator Jonathan Reichard inspects a little brown bat to determine its age, sex and reproductive status. Photo by Keith Shannon/USFWS

Over the the last decade, USFWS has awarded more than $35 million in grants to researchers and state wildlife agencies to contain the spread of white-nose syndrome, improve our understanding of this fungus and its impacts, and develop tools to increase the survival of affected bat species.

Starting in 2017, we leveraged private investments through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Bats for the Future Fund to begin implementing white-nose syndrome treatments. Last year, USFWS launched a $100,000 challenge to find innovative ways to permanently eradicate, weaken or disarm the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. Multiple exciting treatment tools are now being tested, including probiotic compounds to inhibit fungal growth, UV light, fungal vaccines, molecular and genetic tools and habitat modifications to help bats persist.

USFWS and others are also working to minimize bat mortality from wind turbines and many federal and state natural resource agencies and conservation organizations have protected caves and mines important for cave-dwelling bats. Currently, 12 species of bats in the United States are protected as federally endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Search “ bat ” here to see them all.

How You Can Help

● Talk about bats. Share what you’ve learned about the importance of bats. We can all benefit from a greater understanding of the world around us. While it is always smart to be aware of the risk of rabies infection from bats, understanding bats will go a long way toward protecting these amazing creatures and ourselves.

● Do not disturb. Even slight disturbances can cause bats to leave their roosts and force them to use valuable energy reserves needed to survive hibernation. Do your part to protect them by respecting all cave closures and advisories, avoiding caves with hibernating bats and following national decontamination procedures before and after visiting caves and mines.

● Turn off the lights. Light pollution can disrupt or deter bats. Providing a dark environment can help improve conditions for bats.

● Reduce pesticide use. Consider using natural pest control remedies, such as soapy water, beer or garlic. Pesticides can affect the food and water supply for bats.

● Plant a garden. Creating a garden will help attract insects that help pollinate plants and feed bats, contributing to the circle of life.

● Build a bat house or bat box. These tiny structures are a win-win for bats and humans. They can hold up to 100 bats, providing them with much-needed roosts while the bats keep the pests at bay around your house.

● More ways to be friends to bats.

USFWS biologist holds a little brown bat. Photo by Ann Froschauer/USFWS

So, the next time you’re in line for your latte or toasting happy hour with friends, send some love to a bat and help us ensure that we can continue to benefit from the services they provide that make our lives better — and a little more delicious.