Bats! Spooky & Misunderstood

Bats are often mistaken for swallows, particularly around Big Bear Lake around sunset. The San Bernardino Mountains are actually home to 20 different species of bats, which is a stunning amount of diversity, and most are the size of your hand, about 6 inches in height or smaller. Surprisingly, bats are more closely related to humans than rodents. These tiny mammals live to about 30 years-old, and usually only have one baby pup a year! Their signature trait of hanging upside down makes it easy for them to drop into flight, allowing them to flee owls and other predators very quickly. They’re also very social, so much so that different species of bats often roost together and look after one other.

Bats don’t suck your blood, or attack humans, though they’ll likely bite when handled out of self-protection… that’s why it’s important to never handle them, just as you would never handle other wild animals like raccoons. Most bats in America are insectivores, meaning they eat insects! In the San Bernardino Mountains, bats primarily feast on mosquitos and moths. In fact, some bats can eat up to 1000 mosquitos an hour, making them an obvious asset in pest control. They’re also important pollinators, especially for night-flowering agave and cactus. Some plants are even exclusively pollinated by bats, meaning that without them these plants simply couldn’t survive. And these creatures’ remarkable ability to pollinate and disperse seeds make them extremely beneficial in restoring rainforests too. They are vital and powerful assets to our ecosystems. 

Here in Big Bear, where we don’t have many caves, many bats roost in the cracks of bark and trees, under bridges, in attics, and in mineshafts. To protect bats, mineshafts and other habitats in the area are gated off from exploration, because disturbing bats during hibernation can kill them, and can even wipe out whole colonies. If a bat wakes up during hibernation, they may starve to death or struggle to survive the winter. Be a friend and let sleeping bats be. 

Bats Need Help

Bats are incredibly beneficial to us, and they need help. White nose syndrome, a fungus that thrives in the cold, is killing millions of bats across the country. Pesticides are poisoning bats and reducing their food sources. Many are losing habitat and being disturbed by human activity, or simply being exterminated out of fear. And since bats don’t reproduce quickly, they are particularly vulnerable as a species. Below are some ways you can help!