By Kelly Bednara
While we usually celebrate spring as the time our feathered friends return from their winter vacations, it is also time for our other winged friends to emerge from their hibernacula, and migrate back north. Montana is home to fifteen total bat species; ten are year-round residents, and eleven occur in Flathead County. Two of the most common bats found in the state are the Big Brown Bat and the Little Brown Myotis. Both are known to reside in man-made structures, along with natural roosts in forests and rock outcrops.
The largest bat population in the state is found at Gates of the Mountains near Helena. Every year they host bat boat tours that sell out within minutes of being posted. This year they are doing a raffle to ensure an equal chance of getting tickets.
The United States has between forty and fifty different species of bats; the majority are insectivores, meaning they consume insects. While bats have been historically viewed in a negative light, they are extraordinarily beneficial to the environment and Montana’s agricultural industry. It is suggested that one colony of bats can consume 1,000 pounds of insects in one night. One economic study found that pest suppression from bats averages about $74 per acre, and their value to the U.S. agricultural industry is about $22.9 billion per year. In Montana alone, bat-provided pest control is valued at approximately $680 million each year.
Besides pest control, there are a few bat species found in the southwestern United States known for pollinating flowering cacti and agave. Sticky pollen adheres to the bats’ fur as they feed on nectar and is carried from flower to flower, assisting with pollination.
Of the fifteen Montana bat species, eleven are species of concern, and one is a potential species of concern. This is due primarily to habitat loss, white-nose syndrome, and the increase of renewable wind energy. Fortunately, action is being taken to help our winged friends. Rather than sealing abandoned mines, bat-friendly gates are being installed to allow bats to enter the mines for roosting or hibernation. White-nose syndrome, a highly lethal fungal disease spread mainly from bat to bat with a mortality rate of 90 to 100 percent, is being heavily studied across the country. Encouragingly, some Wisconsin bat populations have shown signs of adaptation, with improved recovery rates since 2023. As for wind farms, wildlife officials are conducting pre- and post-construction surveys to better understand the impacts wind farms have on bats and birds.