Bats Provide Many Benefits to Farmers

Ending, naturally with Halloween, is National Bat Week and it’s a great opportunity to spotlight the benefits that bats provide agriculture.  Some bats are pollinators, particularly in the Southwest and into Mexico, but they are also great natural predators of pests according to Rob Mies.

“We estimate that the insect eating bats save U.S. farmers upwards of $50 billion every single year because of the moths and beetles that bats eat. One bat by itself eats up to 5,000 insects per night.”

If you’re a fan of tequila, then you should be a big fan of bats since they pollinate the blue agave plant that tequila comes from.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com