Do Bats Help Control Mosquitoes?

Summer is here! Unfortunately, so are an abundance of mosquitoes. These pesky little critters can be a nuisance when you are trying to enjoy outdoor activities or just have a pleasant day in your yard.

There are several steps you can take to manage the number of mosquitoes around your property, but nature also provides some control methods, including bats. Learn more about the steps you can take around your house to reduce the number of mosquitoes in our previous blog post.

Pest consumption is one of the many ecosystem services bats perform. Most insect-eating bats can consume up to 50 percent of their weight in insects each night. A pregnant or nursing bat can eat up to 100 percent of her body weight each night.

While scientists know bats eat mosquitoes, the insect makes up only part of their diet. So the question is: Do bats significantly lower mosquito numbers?

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin – Madison discovered that it is possible. Their study of big brown bats and little brown bats showed that bats eat more types of mosquitoes and more often than previous studies have shown. More research is required, but the results of this study indicate that researchers should take another look at bats’ roles in helping curbing mosquito populations.

Bats’ pest-reducing contributions to agriculture are well documented. Scientists who study bats estimate these creatures may save farmers an estimated $23 billion a year by reducing the number of crop-damaging insects and the need for pesticides. In fact, producers in central Texas benefit from the millions of Mexican free-tailed bats that live in Bracken Cave. These bats target the corn earworm moth, also called tomato fruitworm or cotton bollworm. These pests can have a devastating effect on several commercial crops, such as corn, tomatoes, beans, and cotton.

Did you know?

Many species of bats are under threat of population decline or extinction. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 21 species are critically endangered worldwide, meaning there is an eminent risk of extinction. There are 83 endangered species of bats, while another 109 are listed as vulnerable. The IUCN uses these three classifications for threatened species, depending on the degree of endangerment.

For more information about bats, bat conservation, and bat management visit the Bat Conservation International website and the Mississippi Bat Working Group website.

Read more on our Extension website about how Bats Enjoy the Night Life in Mississippi and the threat of White Nose Syndrome.