In these areas, bats are more known as a nuisance rather than a pleasure. After all, they are so tiny, they can enter attics and walls through gaps as little as 3/8th of an inch! And once inside, they can cause a wide range of structural damage and health hazards, and even pose several hygienic issues. Although bats can cause home owners a lot of problems, there is another side to them. The truth is, bats play a major role in our local eco-system, which in turn, stimulates our economy.
Don’t believe it? Continue reading to learn the top three reasons why bats are so ecologically important to our society and our planet.
As mentioned, bats serve an imperative purpose in our local Eco-systems, and even in Eco-systems found far across the world. Their contribution delivers a long list of benefits to our society as a whole, but the top 3 benefits we get from having bats around include pest control, pollination, and economics.
❶ Built-In Pest Control
Bats are not solitary in nature; so where there’s one bat, there will likely be handfuls, or even hundreds, more. This is a significant point since a single bat can consume more than their body weight in insects, in just one night! That averages out to be around 1,000 or more flying mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and other insects, per bat! What this does for us is provide free pest control. Not only does this contribution provide a comfortable outdoor experience for us, it also serves an important role in farming and crops, which, as you will see, is part of reason #2 and #3!
❷ Seasonal Pollination
Many species of wildlife help pollinate our earth, and bats are no different. Bats help by distributing pollen and other types of rich organic matter to meadows, forests, woodlands, fields, farms, and more. In turn, this behavior provides a significant contribution to our local crops and gardens. So not only do we get lush, full, gorgeous flora every spring and summer, our local economy gets a much-needed boost! See the next reason to learn why!
❸ Boosting the Economy
With the help of bat pest control and pollination, farmers reap exceptional benefits by growing larger, healthier crops, which sell much better at the local farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Healthier, improved crops deliver profits to farmers and to the vendors that sell their crops. This money goes back into the economy, and back into farming, creating a cycle of economic stimulation. It also creates jobs since more help is needed to farm and distribute annual crops.