One of perhaps our most misunderstood mammals here in Earth has got to be our beloved bats. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on where they reside, these creatures of the night are incredibly invaluable to us.
While there might not be anything to cure those of their fears regarding bats, we do always try to do our best to educate everyone on the benefits of having them around. The truth is, these flying mammals do more than many think!
From supporting cave life forms through their natural fertilizer (guano!), pollination in the tropical areas of the United States to providing inspiration to some of the human race’s most impressive inventions (drones etc.) the list can truly go on and on.
Curbing Pesticide Use
In a topic that hits close to home for all of us, one of the biggest benefits of bats is their ability to be Mother Nature’s pesticide. As we have progressed through the years and the inaugural pesticide campaigns such as DDT, we’ve learned a lot about the toxic nature of these chemicals and the potential side effects of using them.
We also had the opportunity to spend more time around bats and study their behaviours which has come with some incredible findings over the past two decades. Current estimates by the USGS state that bats save US agriculture nearly $4 Billion per year in pest control. The stunning part is that number does not take into account the volume of insects eaten by bats in forested areas and the positive effects that can have on other industries such as lumber.
Our guess is, if you really crunched the numbers, these aerial acrobats would be worth much more than just $4 Billion annually.
How You Can Help
There is so much we can do to help our local bat populations and leave a better ecosystem for generations to come such as…
- Install bat boxes in your yard
- Encourage native vegetation
- Treat insect problems with natural or non-toxic remedies
- Avoid aerial spraying or fogging for mosquitos on your property
We proudly carry a variety of bat boxes in our store and expect more inventory as we approach the spring season. If you need a hand picking one out or installing one in your yard, be sure to let us know. We’d love the opportunity to help!