Bats of the Bay – Not as Spooky as You Think

It’s officially spooky season, which makes it the best time to talk about my favorite misunderstood creature, bats. Although not aquatic wildlife, bats play an important ecological role in the Chesapeake Bay. Their presence is integral to the health of ecosystems that influence the Bay. They also serve as an indicator species in that their health is directly linked to the health of their environments. Take a look at some of my photos of this rarely seen, and in my opinion, too rarely-celebrated animal of the watershed.

(Important note: bats and their home ecosystem of caves are very delicate, vulnerable and potentially dangerous to humans without the proper experience and safety precautions. Never enter a cave unguided for your own safety and the safety of bats. These photos were all taken with special permission from DNR and cave managers.)

Surveyors checking all the nooks and crannies near the cave entrance for hidden bats. Along the floor of the cave are a sort of reverse icicle that forms in this cave in the colder months as water drips from the ceiling and freezes.

This February, I had the privilege of assisting with a bat counting survey at the John Guilday Cave Preserve near Franklin, West Virginia. This preserve includes three different caves of note – Hamilton cave, Trout, and New Trout (where I assisted). This was a very rare opportunity to photograph a large number of bats while they were in a state of torpor. Torpor is similar to hibernation with a few key differences. It is a behavior observed only in bat populations, and one of the main differences is that it is involuntary. Waking a bat from torpor could potentially be deadly for them. The purpose of this yearly survey is to track the size of bat populations in this cave preserve, as bat populations worldwide continue to diminish at alarming rates. Although surveys like this one at John Guilday have shown bat populations are starting to bounce back after being nearly decimated from white nose syndrome, they remain susceptible to countless deadly threats to their health and environments.

From a photography standpoint, documenting these little creatures was a huge learning experience for me. Although I have been caving for quite some time now, it is rare to get permission to photograph the bats for fear of disturbing them. Shining a light in a bat’s face or speaking too loudly nearby while they are in torpor could become deadly should they wake up, so this was a rather delicate situation. Not to mention, caves are obviously pitch black making lighting a huge challenge. All of these shots were taken using my high powered headlamp, working as quickly as possible to minimize bat disturbance. I hope you enjoy this glimpse at these rarely-seen fuzzy fellas almost as much as I enjoy photographing and learning about them.

A little brown bat nestled in fossil formations within the cave. They often seek out the smaller hidden nooks in the rock before entering a state of torpor, especially in a cave with high rates of human activity.

An Indiana bat, the only kind in this survey that is officially an endangered species, although all these species populations are still threatened. You will notice that this bat is banded so we made sure to note that in our survey.

A surveyor working on identifying a bat species as quickly as possible to avoid disturbing the bat.

Two Indiana bats exhibiting a common behavior among this specific species of forming a cluster for additional protection while in torpor.

A tri-color bat in daylight near the entrance of Hamilton cave. They are identified by their more blonde colored fur and pinkish arms.

A small footed bat, this time a bit farther into the cave. They can be identified by their little (in my opinion) human-like hands and black “mask” on their face.

A view of the entrance to Hamilton cave from inside.

The results of the bat survey in New Trout cave added to the existing data. Collection of data from these surveys began in the late 70’s. The rest of the historical data can be found here.

Although they have a spooky association with vampires and are frightening to some, a majority of bat species (except the vampire bat which is not found in the watershed) are not dangerous to humans. They do not want to drink your blood, but they do want to eat insects. From eating the pests on farms, to controlling the pests harming our forests, bats are vital to our ecosystems and water quality. They are a part of keeping the Chesapeake cleaner by helping reduce pesticide use on farms with their bug-eating efforts, which then keeps pollution from flowing into local waterways. These effects flow all the way down to the Bay itself, so don’t get spooked if you see bats – get excited they’re around to help!

If you want to help protect and support bat populations in your area, there are ways you can contribute. Getting a bat roost installed or making your own in your space creates excellent habitat for bats, and helps keep your yard free of pesky mosquitoes. Learn how to build a bat roost.

Learn More About the Bay’s Spooky Species

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