THE TRUTH ABOUT BATS

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

Bats get a bad rap! The flying mammals have long been linked to blood-sucking and infectious diseases, but the truth is these unique creatures are good for the Central Valley, providing many benefits to its residents. First, lets debunk the myths. Yes, bats can carry rabies (as can any warm-blooded mammal), and part of the fear comes from the fact that 90 percent of U.S. rabies cases originate with bats. However, of all bats tested for rabies—i.e. the sick and weak—only six percent test positive, and overall, less than 1 percent of bats are carriers. In fact, experts speculate that the reason human deaths from bat rabies are high is because humans aren’t aware of the rabies risk. In reality, bats do more good than harm. Let’s check it out!

1. Whether you’re allergic to bug bites and stings, or simply are not a fan of creepy crawly things, bats may just be your best friend. Bats eat bugs, and different types of bats have different favorite meals. For example, pallid bats, which reside in the Central Valley, prefer to eat non-flying bugs such as spiders, scorpions, and crickets. A small bat can eat up to 3,000 bugs per night, including disease-carrying mosquitoes.

2. They are dying out faster than we want them to. Much like the bee epidemic, losing bats wouldn’t be a win for the ecosystem. Disease is mostly responsible for the decline in bat populations, however, displacement due to new construction is also sometimes to blame. Bats make up more than one-fourth of all mammal species on the planet, but some of the 1,000+ species are endangered.

3. Bats help the environment in more ways than one. Dependent on the species, bats are responsible for fertilizing crops with their guano, pollinating plants, and even helping to spread seeds to grow more plants. Like honeybees, they are a vital—and fragile—part of our ecosystem.