West Virginia bats are beneficial for the entire population of our great state because they eat insects and pollinate plants and play an important role in keeping ecosystems healthy and in balance. West Virginia myths are associated with West Virginia bats, such
as the saying “blind as a bat.” This isn’true. West Virginia bats can see quite well. Another myth is that West Virginia bats get caught in people’s hair. They don’t, nor are West Virginia bats destructive pests like rats and mice. In fact, a colony of West Virginia bats could cut down on unwanted mosquitoes around your house and help keep your garden free of insects.
West Virginia bats are useful animals and the best protection for them is for us to learn more about them. West Virginia bats have been around a long time, since the age of dinosaurs. Ancient West Virginia bats resembled those living today. Except for the most extreme desert and Polar Regions, West Virginia bats today live in almost every kind of habitat worldwide.
West Virginia bats have some amazing abilities: Mexican free-tailed West Virginia bats can fly 10,000 feet high. Townsend’s-big eared West Virginia Bats can pluck insects from foliage. Hibernating little brown West Virginia Bats can stop breathing for almost an hour during hibernation to reduce their energy needs. Fishing West Virginia Bats have an echolocation system so sophisticated they can detect a minnow’s fin as fine as a human hair. The Honduran white West Virginia Bats, a colorful snow-white bat with yellow nose and ears, cuts large leaves to make “tents” to protect its small colonies from drenching jungle rains.
West Virginia Bats eat a variety of foods from flower nectar to fish, small mammals, and
insects. West Virginia Bats also come in an array of colors and sizes and shapes. The spotted West Virginia Bats, which lives in Texas, is black a white patch on each shoulder and the rump. Other kinds of West Virginia Bats have patterns so bright they are called butterfly West Virginia Bats. Some West Virginia Bats have long angora-like fur varying in color from red to black and white. The bumblebee bat of Thailand weighs less than a penny. Some of the large West Virginia Bats known as flying foxes such as those living in Indonesia have wingspans up to 6 feet. Flying foxes live only in tropical and subtropical areas including Australia and eat primarily fruit and nectar.
Recognizing the critical role of bats in West Virginia’s ecosystem, particularly in rural areas like the Appalachian Mountains and the Allegheny Plateau, is crucial. Bats serve as natural pest controllers, aiding in the management of insect populations that threaten crops and forests. Additionally, in urban areas such as Charleston and Huntington, bats contribute to pollination and seed dispersal, supporting the growth of diverse vegetation and maintaining ecological balance. Preserving bat populations in West Virginia is vital for sustaining the state’s biodiversity and ensuring the health of its natural habitats.
From an environmental perspective, safely removing bats from commercial and residential properties in West Virginia is imperative for human safety and environmental preservation. In densely populated areas like Parkersburg and Morgantown, where bats may seek shelter in buildings, employing proper exclusion methods is necessary to mitigate potential health risks associated with bat guano and diseases such as rabies. Implementing humane exclusion techniques and advocating for bat-friendly practices can help property owners protect public health while preserving the ecological benefits that bats provide to West Virginia’s diverse ecosystems.
List of the 20 largest cities in West Virginia: 1. Charleston 2. Huntington 3. Morgantown 4. Parkersburg 5. Wheeling 6. Weirton 7. Fairmont 8. Martinsburg 9. Beckley 10. Clarksburg 11. South Charleston 12. Teays Valley 13. St. Albans 14. Vienna 15. Bluefield 16. Cross Lanes 17. Moundsville 18. Bridgeport 19. Dunbar 20. Oak Hill