Ohio’s Bats: Blood-suckers, or benevolent?

It’s autumn, time for bonfires, Friday night football, and trick-or-treat. In October we celebrate all things spooky and frightening. Most people put animals like spiders, wolves, and bats into that category. Perhaps the reason is that such creatures hide during the day and become active as darkness steals across the sky. Perhaps, it is simply a misunderstanding.

Myths and misconceptions surrounding bats are almost as old as Dracula himself. But one doesn’t have to enjoy the macabre to appreciate bats. The truth is, bats don’t want to get in your hair, they aren’t flying rats, and they aren’t vampires, at least not the ones that live in Ohio.

Worldwide there are more than 1,200 species of bats. Only three of them drink blood, and none of those are found in the U.S. or Canada. Portage County has 11 native bat species, all of which prefer to dine on mosquitoes and other flying insects. In fact, a single bat can consume as many as 12,000 mosquitoes every night, making them a natural and effective form of pest control. Each year, bats consume enough harmful insects like grasshoppers, termites, and moths to significantly reduce crop damage, helping farmers and therefore all of us.

Bats are unique in that they are the only mammals that can actually fly. ‘Flying’ Squirrels are only able to glide. Buckeye State bats can range in size from the Hoary Bat with an impressive wingspan of up to 17 inches, down to the Tri-Colored Bat with a wingspan of around nine inches.

Some of Ohio’s bats emit audible sounds while others only make sounds beyond the range of human hearing. All of Ohio’s bats use echolocation in one way or another. That means they produce inaudible soundwaves that spread out into the night. When they encounter a physical object, the soundwaves bounce back to the bat like an echo. Bats interpret the echo to locate and identify the objects, like food, trees, and predators.

A fun activity is to go into an open green space around dusk and toss a tennis ball high up into the air repeatedly. If there are any bats nearby, they will come around trying to identify the object.

Although a few of Ohio’s bat species migrate south for the winter, most of them enter torpor (hibernation) in areas like caves, hollow trees, rock crevices, and sometimes buildings. In order to share body heat, bats cluster together in large groups. These shared hibernation ‘nests’ are called hibernacula.

All of Ohio’s bats are protected by law, making it illegal to kill them. If you find bats nesting in your home, it’s best to call a professional to remove them. However, if a single bat makes its way inside, it is possible to carefully remove it yourself. Most times, a bat just wants to get outside where it can fly freely, but bats, like most mammals, can carry rabies. Wear gloves to protect yourself and the bat. See if you can trap it in a butterfly net or a bucket, take it outside, and set it free. If you have to pick it up, remember that their bones are small and be careful not to get bit.

Bat populations in the Buckeye State are in trouble. The main culprit is White-nose syndrome, a fungal infection that attacks bats in their hibernaculum. The fungus came to the U.S. by way of Europe or Asia in the early 2000s and has since decimated populations of certain species by around 90%. Four of Ohio’s native bat species are now on the endangered species list.

The fungus that causes White-nose syndrome does not affect humans; however, we can inadvertently spread it. If you find a bat hibernacula, stay away. If you find dead bats, report them to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife at 330-644-2293.

During this month of spooky fun, celebrate bats and other nighttime creatures by learning more about them.