Made Possible by... Bats

We have many reasons to be thankful for bats. They provide inspiration for advances in technology, they support cave communities, and they even help bring us some of our most tasty treats! Bats act as natural gardeners, helping grow many of the foods we eat through insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal.

Insect Control

Foods that benefit from bat insect control.

NPS

Bats that eat insects are called "insectivorous." They feast on insects each night, adding up to more than $3.7 billion worth of pest control each year in the U.S. When bats are around to eat insects, there are fewer insect pests causing damage to crops, and farmers don't have to invest as much in pesticides. Imagine eating 200 quarter-pound burgers -- that's how much a bat eats in insects in one night!

List of foods that benefit from bat insect control

List of foods that benefit from bat insect control:

• beets
• citrus
• corn
• rice
• strawberries
• chocolate
• coffee
• walnuts
• peppers
• pecans
• cotton
• tomatoes

Pollination

Foods pollinated by bats.

NPS

Several species of bats in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas eat nectar. Many types of plants in these regions rely on bats for pollination and seed dispersal, such as the blue agave. In some southwestern parks, long-nose and long-tongue bats are perfectly adapted to pollinate these plants, and they provide extensive value to the agricultural industry. So next time you sweeten your coffee with agave nectar, remember to thank a bat.

List of foods pollinated by bats

List of foods pollinated by bats

• agave

• guava

• coconuts

• bananas

• avocados

• durian

Seed Dispersal

Foods with seeds that are dispersed by bats.

NPS

Fruit-eating bats play important roles in distributing seeds to maintain plants and forests. These species of bats, often called "flying foxes" because of their larger body size and big eyes, live in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia and Australia. Fruit-eating bats are also found in some Pacific islands, Latin America, and the Caribbean and live in national parks in Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands!

List of foods with seeds that are dispersed by bats

Foods with seeds that are dispersed by bats:

• figs
• almonds
• papayas
• agave
• cashews
• mangos

Next time you have a sip of coffee or eat a chocolatey treat, make sure you thank a bat! Now that you know the foods made possible by bats, what tasty recipes can you come up with to celebrate bats?

Thank bats by

Helping in Your Own Backyard