Bats

Conservation of Bats in Florida

Holly K. Ober and Frank J. Mazzotti

Bats are declining throughout North America, including Florida. This is worrisome because bats are an essential part of natural ecosystems throughout the world, serving as valuable allies to humans by consuming enormous quantities of night-flying insects, many of which are pests to humans and to crops. In tropical countries, bats also play a vital role in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds.

Florida's Bats: Velvety Free-Tailed Bat

Holly K. Ober, Terry J. Doonan, and Emily H. Evans

Bats of Florida Poster

Meghan E. Lauer and Holly K. Ober

Insect Pest Management Services Provided by Bats

Holly K. Ober

Thirteen different species of bats live in Florida year-round. All of them sleep in roosts during the day and emerge at dusk to feed on insects throughout the night. Due to their small size and high metabolism, bats have exceptionally high energy demands. This means that each bat consumes large quantities of insects. During the summer, when pregnant and nursing female bats have especially high energy requirements, each bat may consume as much as two thirds of its body weight per night. This would be the equivalent of a 150-pound human consuming 100 pounds of food per day!

Bats of Florida

Holly K. Ober, Martin B. Main, and Ginger M. Allen

Dealing with Unwanted Wildlife in an Urban Environment

Joe Schaefer

Effective Bat Houses for Florida

Holly K. Ober

Bats can be a beneficial addition to the wildlife community on your property. With the exception of a few uncommon bats in the Florida Keys, all resident bats in Florida eat insects. Bats reduce common insect pests by consuming them in large quantities and the sound of bat calls can repel additional insects from areas where bats spend time. By attracting bats to your farm, forest, or backyard you may substantially reduce the number of nocturnal insects nearby.

Florida's Bats: Florida Bonneted Bat

Holly K. Ober, Terry J. Doonan, and Emily H. Evans

Facts about Wildlife Diseases: Bats and Coronaviruses

Holly K. Ober and Samantha M. Wisely

Florida's Bats: Brazilian Free-tailed Bat

Holly K. Ober, Terry J. Doonan, and Emily H. Evans

Florida's Bats: Tricolored Bat

Emily Evans, Terry Doonan, and Holly Ober

A UF/IFAS numbered Organism ID for General Public audience(s). in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Environmental Literacy and Sustainability

Florida's Bats: Southeastern myotis

Emily Evans, Terry Doonan, and Holly Ober

A UF/IFAS numbered Organism ID for General Public audience(s). in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Environmental Literacy and Sustainability

Florida's Bats: Evening Bat

Emily Evans, Terry Doonan, and Holly Ober

A UF/IFAS numbered Organism ID for General Public audience(s). in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Environmental Literacy and Sustainability

Ambassadors of The Night: Demystifying the Remarkable World of Bats, Part 2 of 2

Zahir Ringgold Cordes

Welcome back to this two-part blog series, where we are demystifying the remarkable world of bats! So far, we have covered the batty basics of the order Chiroptera, to which bats belong. If you have not yet read part one of this series, check it out here. Florida’s Fabulous Flying Mammals  In Florida, we have […]

Ambassadors of The Night: Demystifying the Remarkable World of Bats, Part 1 of 2

Zahir Ringgold Cordes

Bats: Shrouded in Mystery and Fear  As human beings, we have had a close relationship with the natural world since the beginning of our species’ journey on this planet. Throughout the centuries, as cultures around the world developed, the animals and plants in our environments were often the focus of myths, legends, and symbolism. Among […]

This Halloween, have a heart for bats; a UF/IFAS expert explains

Lourdes Mederos

People of all cultures have a love-hate relationship with bats. Feared for their portrayals after decades of horror movies and centuries of folklore, bats are also the ultimate must-have for Halloween decor. Florida has 13 species of bats year-round that are among 1,300 species worldwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The bat population […]