The Many Benefits of Bats

While horror stories have long portrayed bats as something to be feared and avoided at all costs, the truth is that there are many benefits to bats. In fact, if you are looking into ways that you can contribute to protecting the environment, bat conservation should be at the top of your list. To fully appreciate these creatures and their role in our ecosystem, you need to understand their many contributions and how you can help protect this vital population.

What Are the Benefits of Bats?

There are more than 1,400 individual species of bats around the globe, each with its own contributions to global well-being. There are a few key benefits that bats contribute to the environment, including:

Insect Control 

Many bat species around the globe feed on insects, and they do so in large quantities, which reduces the insect population and helps reduce the spread of diseases that insects carry. In addition, because bats help control the overall insect population, they reduce the need for chemical pesticide use. Reducing the insect population naturally also helps protect human food sources because bats eat many of the insects that infest and eat fruits and other food products. 

Pollination 

Some species of bats feed on nectar from flowers. In the process of obtaining that nectar, they also collect pollen. In their travels from flower to flower, eating nectar, they spread that pollen. In a time when pollinators are a threatened species, this benefit is important to the bat population. As far as the benefits of bats go, pollination is also a huge perk for humanity. Bats assisting in the pollination of food-producing plants help protect our food supply and contribute to our survival.

Cave Preservation 

Many bats nest in cave environments, which are delicately balanced ecosystems. These ecosystems contain a variety of different life forms that depend exclusively on this habitat for their survival. Bats bring in nutrients through guano to help ensure the survival of cave environments and the creatures that live there.

Natural Seed Disbursement 

Much like chipmunks and similar scavengers, bats are also beneficial for natural seed disbursement. Bats will drop seeds virtually anywhere they travel, helping to encourage the natural distribution and growth of food and flower-producing plants.

How Can You Support These Benefits of Bats?

When you understand how important bats are to the environment, you may want to help protect them and support the many benefits that they bring to the area. Start by building bat houses to encourage them to settle in the neighborhood. Also, minimize your use of bright outdoor lighting and avoid using pesticides in your yard. Doing so will ensure bats have an adequate food source and a comfortable environment. Check out more tips for creating a bat-friendly garden.

You can also contribute by supporting companies that promote sustainability and environmental protection or donate to causes and organizations that help support pollinator preservation and protection. 

Like you, BeCause Tees appreciates the many benefits of bats and their role in environmental protection. Every item we sell directly contributes to planting trees and funding other charitable organizations to protect the environment, including Pollinator Partnership. Shop our nature-inspired apparel today.

Sources: https://blog.nwf.org/2013/10/10-reasons-you-should-love-bats/
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/benefits-of-bats.htm
https://wildyards.com/benefits-of-bats/https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/where-do-bats-live
https://www.fws.gov/story/bats-are-one-most-important-misunderstood-animals