Bat feeding on flowers in flight An Underwood's long-tongued bat feeds on Mucuna flowers while in flight.

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Corbis

Making History: Bats to the Rescue

Scientists discover insect-eating bats may help sustain forests

  • By Kenneth R. Fletcher
  • Smithsonian magazine, October 2008

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    Bats are a big help to plants because they devour leaf-munching insects, according to researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. The scientists conducted their investigation by covering plants with plastic and wire-mesh structures that let insects in but kept large bug-eating predators out. The research team then compared three groups: plants that were covered during the day (when birds are looking for food); plants that were covered at night (when bats are awake and hungry); and a control group of uncovered plants (open to all comers). The result? Plants sealed off from the bats had more leaf damage and were more infested with insects than the other two groups. While previous studies have extensively documented the beneficial relationship between birds and plants, scientists "have completely overlooked the important ecological role of insect-eating bats," says Margareta Kalka, the study's lead author. The Smithsonian research reveals that bats might do more to help sustain forests than we previously thought, says Kalka.

    Bats are a big help to plants because they devour leaf-munching insects, according to researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. The scientists conducted their investigation by covering plants with plastic and wire-mesh structures that let insects in but kept large bug-eating predators out. The research team then compared three groups: plants that were covered during the day (when birds are looking for food); plants that were covered at night (when bats are awake and hungry); and a control group of uncovered plants (open to all comers). The result? Plants sealed off from the bats had more leaf damage and were more infested with insects than the other two groups. While previous studies have extensively documented the beneficial relationship between birds and plants, scientists "have completely overlooked the important ecological role of insect-eating bats," says Margareta Kalka, the study's lead author. The Smithsonian research reveals that bats might do more to help sustain forests than we previously thought, says Kalka.


     
    Comments

    This article was strange, but interesting. Strange as naming a bat,Micronycteris giovanniae in honor of poet, Nikki Giovanni. However,I've seen bats suck the blood of dairy cows while they were grazing. That freaked me out. Can you imagine a population of bats migrating to the city? Well,society didn't think the African killer bees would make it. But, they did. That's all I need,is to be dodging squirrels and bats! hb

    Posted by hb on October 6,2008 | 01:42PM

    Good to see people thinking about bats (in a nice way)! Maybe October could be designated World Bat Month. Here in the town of Bradenton, Florida I often see bats at sunset above my street, or swooping and fluttering near the mall (located on a main street thru town aka Hwy 301). Most people who see them don't realize they are bats. They think they are birds or even large insects (we have some big ones down here).

    Posted by Sylvie Reichmann on October 17,2008 | 08:35AM

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