Bats Are Good for Agriculture
By Andrea Schuhmann and Shea Staten e have long been misinformed and unnecessarily frightened about bats, the world’s only flying mammals. Believe it or not, bats help farms and help people. Bats make up approximately one-quarter of the total number of mammals found globally. Wherever they are found, these tiny titans provide critical ecological services, some by pollinating valuable plants and crops, and others, which is of particular relevance to Mississippi, by preying upon countless insect pests that can wreak havoc on our home gardens, our forests and our farms. Before we can explain in depth why these winged wonders are so critical to Mississippi, it’s important to first correct a few myths that might cause us to think of bats as undesirable creatures.
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1. Bats in Mississippi are not bloodsuckers. Bats native to our state are strictly insectivores, insect-eaters. Out of the nearly 1,200 different types of bats worldwide, only three feed on blood. These infamous vampire bats live in Central and South America, and they are so diminutive in size they could fit inside a tea cup. Vampire bats only lick a small amount of blood from the source but do not kill as a result. 2. Not all bats carry rabies. In fact, less than one-half of one percent of bats carry the virus. Rabid bats can sometimes appear more docile and approachable than typical, but there is no way to tell for sure. You can prevent transmission by simply not picking up, holding or handling bats. 3. Bats do not attack people or purposefully tangle themselves in human hair. Stray bats who have wandered into our homes often react to our panicked behavior by erratically flying about, searching for an exit. Now, let’s focus on why Mississippi farmers should care about the health and future of bats in our state and across the country. Mississippi is home to 15 different species of bats, all voracious insectivores. A recent study has shown that insect-eating bats are estimated to save the U.S. agricultural industry approximately $22.9 billion each year in pest control expenses. That means, farmers who support a healthy population of bats on their property may see fewer crops destroyed by insect pests, and their fields may require fewer applications of expensive pesticides. This, in turn, can result in the added benefit of fewer insect pests developing pesticide resistance. 30
If you have ever waged war against June beetles, spotted cucumber beetles, stinkbugs, corn earworm, armyworms, cutworms, tent caterpillars, cotton boll worms, gypsy moths and oak weevils, or if you are merely pestered by the ever-present mosquito, bats are your ally. The appetite of even the hungriest college linebacker pales in comparison to each tiny bat, the largest in Mississippi no bigger than a bar of soap. And if you want to cut down on insect pests, it’s the pregnant female bats you especially want to attract. They are the hungriest. A pregnant Brazilian free-tailed bat can eat 70 percent of her body mass in hundreds of insects every night. Unfortunately, North American bats are facing a grim future. Loss of mature hardwood and bottomland forests, destruction of riparian zones, inhumane exclusions from residences and vandalism/disturbance to resting sites have severely impacted bats. Not only has habitat loss resulted in dramatic declines of bat populations nationwide, but bats are now facing a new threat, a recently introduced disease known as White-Nose Syndrome or WNS. White Nose Syndrome, caused by the cold-loving fungus, Geomyces destructans, is suspected to have been introduced from Europe. WNS gets its name from the white fungal growth that appears on the wings, ears and muzzle of infected bats. The fungus attacks the bats while they are hibernating and causes them to awaken early from their energy-saving sleep. The infected bats quickly use up their valuable fat stores, far too early to survive the winter, and eventually they succumb to starvation, dehydration or death by exposure. Since first discovered in New York in 2006, the disease is estimated to have killed more than 6 million bats across the eastern U.S. and Canada, covering 19 states and still counting. More recently, the disease has been confirmed in Alabama. The Mississippi Bat Working Group (MBWG), a collective of bat enthusiasts and professionals from federal, state and private agencies, works with various stakeholders, who recognize and support the management and conservation of bats and their habitats. Things look discouraging for bats, but there are things you can do to help. 1. Protect snags and hollow trees on your property, especially while performing prescribed burns. Snags and hollow trees provide vital daytime resting sites for bats. 2. Protect and document known and potential roost/resting sites, such as abandoned buildings, cisterns, snags and hollow trees. You can report your findings to MBWG by emailing msbats@hotmail.com. 3. If you have bats in your attic and want them removed, there are trained professionals who can assist in excluding them from the building without lethal means. 4. Provide for area bats, including those recently excluded from a home, by placing a bat house on your property. Many pre-made bat houses and plans are available through Bat Conservation International and other groups, or you can contact Shea Staten, MBWG’s Bat House Coordinator, at robert.s.staten@usace.army.mil. 5. Provide a source of water for bats (lake, pond, creek, river, etc.). Bats are a sign of a healthy riparian ecosystem. Protect creeks and streams on your property by leaving a buffer of trees and shrubs along the edges. 6. Plant native flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs. Not only will you be providing great food plants for native butterflies and birds, but there are several species that are especially beneficial to bats: phlox, fleabane, goldenrod, evening primrose, etc. These flowers tend to remain open in the evening, attracting moths that bats feed on. 7. Support bat conservation at the local, regional and national level. An easy step is to become involved with the Mississippi Bat Working Group. Bats have long supported us by protecting our homes and our farms. It is now imperative that we support them. If you want to learn more about what you can do to help bats in Mississippi, please contact the Mississippi Bat Working Group at msbats@hotmail.com. Andrea Schuhmann is a wildlife biologist and Outreach Director for Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Holly Springs. Shea Staten is a Natural Resource Specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Sardis Lake. The photo is of the Olive Branch Pack 234 Webelos with Becky Rosamond, MBWG president, holding an Eastern Red Bat. Scouts are Noah Womack, Spencer Rowan, Ethan Ratcliff, Charlie Williams and Tucker Bobbitt. Photo is by MBWG.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER