Caring for Creatures of the Night Juliet Hoven

Juliet Hoven

For centuries bats have carried a negative stigma in Europe and the U.S., but they have crucial roles in their environments. These creatures have been given a negative stereotype as bloodsucking, disease-carrying animals. While they carry disease, they do to a lesser extent than other animals, such as dogs or cats. It is important to recognize that bats contribute substantially to their ecosystems and humans. Most importantly, bats are on the largest decline in history in the American Northeast. A fatal disease called white-nose syndrome has wiped out over 90% of bats in Vermont and New Hampshire. Attention to this issue is needed by the public to continue to find a resolution.

To begin, bats are unique and fascinating animals. Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. They can flap their wings to propel them in flight rather than glide. A bat’s wings are thin skin membranes stretching between its finger bones, hind legs, and tail. This adaptation has earned them a special classification among mammals called Chiroptera. Chiroptera quite literally translates to “hand wing.” Furthermore, bats live in numerous types of habitats. They prefer locations with swarms of insects and sustainable resting. During the winter months, they must find suitable places to hibernate or migrate south. Bats are also nocturnal, doing their hunting from dusk until dawn and sleeping during the day. Bats consume more than 50% of their own body weight in insects each night effectively making them nature’s best pest control.

Several bat species native to the northeast including the northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, and tricolored bat, are affected by white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome is caused by a fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The fungus originated in Europe and spread to the U.S. through human travel in the early 2000s. It has since made its way throughout the American northeast and affected every bat species living here.

The fungus thrives in cold, damp, and dark environments, or unfortunately, the same conditions where bats hibernate. The fungus disrupts the wing membranes, blood tissue, and nerves. To fight the infection, bats need to increase their metabolism and keep warm. This ultimately forces bats to come out of hibernation and use the fat they reserved, to fight the fungus. Without their stored fat, bats cannot survive the remaining winter months.

Moreover, why would you want to help an animal with such a bad reputation?

As stated previously, bats can eat up to half their own weight in insects each night. If they were to disappear, we Fall 2022 would not know how insect populations would be affected. In addition, when populations of one species change in an environment, we do not know how the others in the environment will change as a result. Bats are also the primary consumers of mosquitoes and other agricultural pests, so it would be in our best interest to make sure these pests have a predator.

Now with the idea of mosquito control in your mind, you might ask yourself, “What can I do to help?”

There are several ways you can help! One way is to leave bats alone if you find them! We want them to remain at peace and breed. Another way to help is to participate in the statewide colony surveys! In New Hampshire, you can contact the Wildlife Division and have a professional come out to record data on bat colonies. This helps us gather general data about summer colonies and guide us to where we should focus next. A third way to help is to build or buy bat houses. This provides a safe designated place for bats to stay, while also providing an opportunity for us to watch bats from a distance.

Lastly, bat colonies can be reported through the Vermont or New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife Department state website. We can gather more general data and give biologists an idea of how bat colonies in the area are doing. Overall, bats have an undeserved bad reputation. They play critical roles in our environment and do more good for people than one would ever expect. Let’s hope we can make some progress in their conservation!

Juliet Hoven is currently a double major in zoology and ecology at UVM, excited by any opportunity to do ecological work with amphibians or reptiles. She wrote to us at the suggestion of Green Mountain Animal Defenders.

Resources: vtfishandwildlife.com/node/261 vtfishandwildlife.com/node/236 extension.psu.edu/a-homeowners-guide-to-northeastern-batsand-bat-problems www.wildlife.state.nh.us/nongame/bats-nh.html www.wildlife.state.nh.us/nongame/white-nose-syndrome.html

Reported sightings can be submitted through: anrweb.vt.gov/FWD/FW/BatColonyReporting.aspx www.surveymonkey.com/r/batcolonies www.4LegsAndATail.com 25