It’s Bat Appreciation Month, or as we like to call it — Bat-ober. Bats’ affinity for bug cuisine makes them a natural pesticide and they save the agricultural industry billions of dollars each year in pesticides.
There are 15 bats that call Kentucky their home, but let’s take a look at just a few of the bats that can be found near the Derby City:
🦇 Big brown bat | Among the largest of Kentucky’s bats, these big browns average at four to five inches in length and can eat a third of its weight in one night.
🦇Eastern small-footed bat | Like its name suggests, this bat is among the smallest of its region. It’s also relatively rare and can be identified by its black ears and muzzle.
🦇Evening bat | These beetle-eating bats coexist well with humans and their appetite for Japanese beetles can save your garden from infestation.
Bonus: Flap over to the Kentucky Bat Festival
on Sat., Oct. 22.