Nocturnal Superheros of the Garden (8/9/2022) - Often underrecognized for their contributions to our environment, bats play a pivotal role in keeping insect populations under control while also providing fertilization and pollination services. Pest Control Emerging from their roosts at dusk, a single insectivorous bat can consume thousands of insects per night, reducing pest populations around gardens, agricultural lands, wetlands, forests, and… more
UF/IFAS expert: Don’t disturb bats during maternity season (4/21/2022) - April 15 marked the start of bat maternity season, and through August 15 wildlife protection laws are in place. Though they have benefits to the environment, bats can be misunderstood. University of Florida experts at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) want to clear misunderstandings about bats, ease apprehensions about their habits, and… more
Animals That Make Us Shiver – Bats Get a Bad Rap (Recorded Presentation Delivered Oct 19, 2021) (10/22/2021) - The UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Library Royal Palm Beach Branch Children and Teens Department conducted an informative Zoom presentation entitled "Animals That Make Us Shiver - Bats Get a Bat Rap". This presentation was delivered on Tue, Oct 19, 4:00 pm. It is timely for #BatAppreciationMonth which… more
Why Bats? (8/24/2021) - A common denominator in epidemiology Amid this global pandemic that has shaken the world, bats seem to have appeared a lot in media and the social feed. This blog piece aims at clarifying why that might be, approaching the concept from an ecological, physiological, behavioral, and slightly historical perspective. Bats seem to be a common… more
Florida Master Naturalist Bat Detecting Basics (6/18/2021) - The UF/IFAS Extension St Lucie County Florida Master Naturalist courses are an examination of plants, animals and human interactions in upland systems. Students in the Uplands course and the Wildlife Monitoring Course study bats. In the past, they surveyed bats in local bridges, produced video clips featuring bat echolocation and sampled guano for N-P-K nutrient… more
Bat Guano Fertilizer Properties (8/3/2020) - Under the supervision of UF/IFAS St. Lucie County Extension Agent Ken Gioeli, Florida Master Naturalists Patricia Sposato and Richard Knott conducted a survey of bats in the bridges of St Lucie County. Using aural and visual techniques, they identified several bridges hosting bat colonies including I-95 and Turnpike overpasses. This is what a bat bridge… more
Have you heard about UF’s other bat house? (7/6/2020) - That's right. The University of Florida has more than one bat house and occupancy rates are high. UF is known for its Gators as well as its large occupied bat houses. Campus visitors and everyone living on campus probably heard about the two UF Bat Barns and the Bat House located on Museum Road across… more
They can Drive you bat-ty! (1/18/2019) - Going batty - is the bat beneficial? Often, we’re exposed to negative labels about bats that can drive us batty. If you are one who feels bats are bad and not needed, here are a few beneficial tidbits. Bats are great pollinators, help with pest control, and contribute to life-saving medicine! The lesser-nose tube bat… more
Question of the Day- Bats in Buildings (1/16/2019) - Florida Bats There are 13 bat species native to Florida, and two of those are federally listed as endangered. Because of this, bats cannot be harmed during removal. However, all of the bats found in Florida are insectivores and help control the insect populations, including mosquitos, eating thousands of insects each night. Another misconception is… more Going Batty Bat Detecting: Florida Master Naturalist Final Project (Uplands 2018) (1/25/2018) - The UF/IFAS Extension St Lucie County Florida Master Naturalist Uplands course is an examination of plants, animals and human interactions in upland systems. Two teams in the Jan-Feb 2018 Uplands course are studying bats as part of their final projects. One team is surveying bats in local bridges. They are collecting video clips and sampling… more
Planting for Pollinators Part II: Types of Plants (10/2/2017) - In Part 1 of the Planting for Pollinators post, we discussed the importance and decline of pollinators. Now, step out into your yard for a bit. If the only plants you can identify are “green ones,” no worries. The local County Extension Service can help you decipher between what is friend and what is foe.… more
Planting for Pollinators Part I: The Dilemma (10/2/2017) - If I were to ask you to list some pollinators that visit your gardens, butterflies and honey bees may come to your mind. But take a closer look! Do you see a shiny little green sweat bee flying from flower to flower? Or possibly a hummingbird, moth or even a wasp? And don’t forget bats.… more
Planting for Pollinators Part II: Types of Plants (10/2/2017) - In Part 1 of the Planting for Pollinators post, we discussed the importance and decline of pollinators. Now, step out into your yard for a bit. If the only plants you can identify are “green ones,” no worries. The Marion County Extension Service can help you decipher between what is friend and what is foe.… more
Planting for Pollinators Part II: Types of Plants (10/2/2017) - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar on sweetbay In Part 1 of the Planting for Pollinators post, we discussed the importance and decline of pollinators. Now, step out into your yard for a bit. If the only plants you can identify are “green ones,” no worries. The Marion County Extension Service can help you decipher between what… more
Planting for Pollinators Part I: The Dilemma (10/2/2017) - If I were to ask you to list some pollinators that visit your gardens, butterflies and honey bees may come to your mind. But take a closer look! Do you see a shiny little green sweat bee flying from flower to flower? Or possibly a hummingbird, moth or even a wasp? And don’t forget bats.… more
Planting for Pollinators Part I: The Dilemma (10/2/2017) - If I were to ask you to list some pollinators that visit your gardens, butterflies and honey bees may come to your mind. But take a closer look! Do you see a shiny little green sweat bee flying from flower to flower? Or possibly a hummingbird, moth or even a wasp? And don’t forget bats.… more
Q: I have heard bats can carry rabies. Is this true? (7/17/2017) - Q: I have heard bats can carry rabies. Why would anyone want to have a bat house near their home if this is true? A: While it is true, bats have the capacity to carry rabies, like many other mammals, the possibility of a bat having rabies is small. Common carriers of rabies are raccoon,… moreBats – Helpful, Not Harmful (10/24/2016) - Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) eating a corn earworm moth (Helicoverpa zea). If you think you’d prefer a world without bats, we present to you three reasons to reconsider. Most negative stereotypes about bats are untrue. The reality is that bats benefit us in numerous ways. Here are a few facts that may convince you… more
Bats – Helpful, Not Harmful (10/22/2016) - If you think you’d prefer a world without bats, we present to you three reasons to reconsider. Most negative stereotypes about bats are untrue. The reality is that bats benefit us in numerous ways. Here are a few facts that may convince you we should be thankful for bats rather than fearful of them. 1.… more
Why are Bats Important? (10/26/2015) - From pest control to pollination, learn why bats are essential to our ecosystem. More... more Bat Conservation (10/12/2015) - Bats have had a bad reputation as blood-sucking flying rodents for years, but some facts about these nocturnal creatures may surprise you. For example, not all bats are bloodsucking creatures—only three among the 1,200 species that exist actually consume blood. Bats, which are the only true flying mammal, rise from the darkness each night to… moreWhat can you do about a colony of bats in a building? (4/10/2015) - Bats are extremely beneficial, but they can be unwelcome guests when they choose to roost indoors, like this evening bat. Photo credit: LeiLani Davis. Bats typically sleep during the day in natural structures such as trees and caves. In areas with few natural roost structures, bats may instead choose to spend their days in buildings.… more
What can you do about a colony of bats in a building? (4/8/2015) - Bats typically sleep during the day in natural structures such as trees and caves. In areas with few natural roost structures, bats may instead choose to spend their days in buildings. Bats are beneficial because each bat consumes hundreds of insects per night. Bats save farmers billions of dollars annually by substantially reducing the… more
Battling Bat Myths (11/4/2013) - As we leave Halloween season, one of the most popular images of this spooky time of year is that of a bat. The creepy tales of vampire bats and Dracula are enduring and certainly exciting. Unfortunately, many negative connotations exist around this fascinating species. Perhaps you’ve heard they carry rabies, that they will fly into… more
Weekly “What is it?”: Juvenile Bats (7/24/2013) - They named him “Lestat.” But unlike his bloodsucking namesake, the little Seminole bat clinging to the bricks of a campus building was purely interested in mama’s milk. Later on, he will develop a taste for insects, as his mother teaches him to fly and capture bugs on his own. I was introduced to the young… more
Bat Fest 2012 Wakulla Springs State Park (3/22/2012) - By Les Harrison and Sherri Kraeft UF IFAS/Wakulla County Extension Join Les Harrison County Extension Director and Sherrie Kraeft 4-H Agent at the Bat Fest 2012 at Wakulla Springs, May 20th, 2012, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. They will have a booth and be talking about the importance of Bees and bats as pollinators and their… more