BATS LEAVE THEIR CAVES

Bats will be leaving their hibernation caves this week.  This starts with a few scout bats.  More bats will become active as more insects become available.  Yes, bats are insectivores.  They use echolocation to find insects at night.  This crunchy and nutritious food source must be available for the bats to survive once they end their winter hibernation.  It takes energy to wake up and it is detrimental for bats to wake up before the insects/foods are available.  If a bat is “awakened” more than three times during their winter hibernation, they may not have enough energy to survive until spring.  That is one reason why winter cave exploration is discouraged where bats may occur.