Exploring Nature: All About Bats

Bats get a bum rap.

People associate them with vampires and witches. There are old wives tales about bats flying into women’s hair.

Truth be told, bats are very beneficial little critters. They eat tons of harmful insects, including mosquitoes. They also eat insects that destroy farm crops. And they help pollinate various plants, much like bees and butterflies. If you enjoy tequila, give thanks to the bats that help pollinate agave plants.

I have a slatted bat house on the side of my garage, so I am certainly one who supports bats. I have also traveled to several spots around the state to witness vast swarms of bats fly out of caves and zoom into the evening sky in search of insects.

One outstanding site is Bracken Cave, located near San Antonio. It is home to some 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats. On summer evenings these bats emerge to forage, swirling in a “batnado.”

I did note that a redtailed hawk just happened to be in the neighborhood and swooped down to catch one hapless bat for its own evening meal.

I understand Bat Conservation International (BCI) has members-only events at the cave. For a flight schedule, visit batcon. org/visitbracken.

I’ve also seen bat flights at Old Tunnel State Park in Fredericksburg, Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve near Mason and Devil’s Sinkhole near Rocksprings. All of these were most enjoyable and informative, with knowledgeable guides providing useful facts about the bats.

I always enjoy the massive exit of bats, and it never hurts if a hawk puts in a surprise appearance to add a little excitement to the evening.