A little batty

International Bat Week is celebrated annually on the last week of October, from the 24-31. Organized by Bat Conservation International and in partnership with groups like Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the event is meant to highlight the need for bat conservation and demonstrate the important role bats play in the ecosystem and economy.

Bats belong to the order Chiroptera and are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. There are over 900 species of bats, according to the Smithsonian Institute. Montana is home to fifteen of those species. Of these, eight have ranges that include the whole state of Montana, though the Hoary Bat, Lasiurus cinereus, is migratory and only summers in Montana. Three other species of bats also have ranges that cover Lincoln.

The little brown myotis, Myotis lucifugus, or little brown bat, is Montana's most common bat. Little brown bats are described as having a cinnamon-buff to dark brown back with a buff to pale gray front. Overall, they are about two inches long. Their ears can be up to about 1/2 inch long and reach about to their nostrils. Myotis lucifugus is found throughout Canada and as far north as Alaska and through all but the southernmost parts of the United States,.

"This species is resident year-round in Montana, but may be partially migratory because known winter aggregations are much smaller than the apparent size of summer populations," according to the Montana Field Guide.

Little brown bats can be found across many elevations. They often forage over water and roost in attics, bridges, loose bark, and bat houses during the summer. Over the winter, they commonly hibernate in caves and mines.

Like little brown bats, many of Montana's bat species roost near lakes, streams, and marshy areas where insects are plentiful. FWP values the agriculture pest control service that bats provide in Montana at about $680 million dollars per year. A single little brown bat can consume 1,200 insects an hour.

More than two-thirds of Montana's bat species are identified as "species of concern" by the Montana Natural Heritage Program and FWP. Declining population trends, threats to habitats, and restricted distribution can all contribute to this designation.

White-Nose Syndrome has been identified as one cause of bat mortalities, first detected in the United States in 2006 in New York. Caused by the non-native fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, WNS is estimated to kill more than five million bats in North America each year. Pd was not detected in Montana until 2020, according to FWP, and WNS-related bat mortalities first appeared in Montana this year. Despite its effect on bats, WNS has no known impact on livestock, humans, or other species. FWP is engaged in a variety of efforts to minimize human-caused transmission of WNS as well as to analyze the effect and spread of the disease.