TEXAS - San Antonio: Texas' 33 bat species range from the Mexican free-tailed bat (our state flying mammal) to tiny little pipistrelles. All Texas species of bats are insect eaters, while they also eat frogs, lizards, and nectar from wild plants such as agave, cacti, and avocado trees, so their crops may regenerate over time.
Misconceptions about bats have long dissuaded humans from appreciating these critical insect eaters and plant pollinators. However, those associated with scary vampire movies and Hollywood have seen much less fear-inducing depictions in recent decades thanks to education efforts of state agencies like the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Bat Conservation International.
Texas citizens now understand that bats aren't scary creatures; rather they play an invaluable role in our agriculture, ecotourism, and natural environment. Bats play an integral part in ecosystems across Texas; according to a new study published by Science magazine, insect-eating bats save farmers at least $3 billion each year in pest control costs!
At dusk, bats in Texas offer an extraordinary sight - from the world's largest urban colony of Mexican free-tailed bats at Bracken Cave to over one million at Clarity Tunnel in Caprock Canyons State Park. Residents in our cities can help bats by planting trees as roosts for them or placing "bat boxes," similar to birdhouses but explicitly made for bats; such boxes can be purchased from hardware stores as both premade models or plans so bats have somewhere safe to hibernate and roost safely during winter hibernations/roosting seasons.
