Bats on New England wool properties

Abstract

Small, insect-eating bats ('microbats') fulfil an important role on wool properties, that of natural pest control. Microbats eat a wide range of invertebrates, predominantly moths, beetles and bugs, with some species also consuming mosquitoes, grasshoppers and crickets. Individual microbats can consume up to half their body weight in insects in a night. Without their services, insect populations could explode! Microbats differ in size and shape and where and how they prefer to hunt, so their diet varies accordingly. The freetail bats have long, narrow wings and fly fast and high above trees. Others with broader wings are able to fly below the canopy and pick insects off leaves and branches. The more species and numbers of bats, the better the pest control service they perform.