WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2011 HOLY BATS

I have found that being in love with plants and flowers makes me keen to learn about other species. One of these species are the Honeybees. Another is a mammal which in the past I have not been fond of for a variety of reasons. BATS. My childhood misconceptions about bats are still alive and well. I became further frightened of bats when studying on the Caribbean islands of Grenada, St Vincents and Barbados. Puerto Rico is also home to many species of bats. I remember studying biochemistry on a hot night in the hills of Grenada while living off campus. When a bat entered the common living room, the ensuing commotion was explosive with an added tropic flavor. Hands flew to cover our hair and bodies hit the ground. I 'knew' too well that these conniving sightless creatures meant to entangle themselves in my hair! (I had MORE HAIR then).

Through reading and research I now see bats in a new light. Grenadians and others view bats as diseased creatures deserving little if any respect. Even on the streets in town I could still see kids swinging sticks to hit bats under the streetlights. I have found that Puerto Rico has fewer bats species than Grenada, Cuba, Jamaica and the other islands. Jamaica, which is smaller than Puerto Rico has 21 species as compared to Puerto Rico's 13 species. Due to urban development and disappearing lands (replacing fields and pastures with buildings) bats are disappearing. There are associations now protecting Puerto Rico's bat population. One organization, CDK (Citizens of the Karst) has purchased 110 acres known as Mata de Platano Reserve which contains Cueva Culebrones (Cave of the Boas). It is this cave where 300,000 bats reside. You can rest assured that I will not enter that cave! This Fruit Bat ( Brachyphylla cavernarum) is a forager not so different from our Honeybees. Bats are needed to pollinate flowers so we have fruit and crops.

It is striking that Bats are the only native land mammal to have survived the colonization of Puerto Rico (and other islands). Thank goodness there are more than 700,000 bats on Puerto Rico with 75% being of the Jamaican long tongued bats.

Why talk about bats? Populations of bats are declining in New York State and other areas, like Cherry Grove Fire Island. We need bats. The bats of Fire Island do not forage for nectar as our honeybees. Bats on Fire Island like the Little Brown Myotis eat mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can ruin any barbecue or outing in the Sunken Forest. We islanders are contributing to their decline by eliminating trees and using pesticides to kill their food (mosquitoes). I am delighted that naturalist, horticulturist, landscaper, and beekeeper Todd Erickson is on board assisting bat populations. He will help you build a bat house. Yes, I said a Bat House. Be part of something to help the natural ecosystem. Todd suggests checking out the Bat Conversation web site.

Top photograph: Little Brown Bat of Fire Island

Bottom: Fruit Bat from one of the Caribbean islands

Until tomorrow...