About a month or so ago we noticed that something was missing this Summer, the bats. We have always had them flying over our house for as long as I can remember just after the sun sets. We haven’t seen one this year. Even driving around at night in different areas we would always see them at night swooping in front of our car in the headlights and I haven’t seen any this year. In thinking back I do remember their presence was smaller last year than other years, my concern this year is that we haven’t even seen one.
Apparently there is a disease killing off the bats called white nose syndrome. This disease causes a white fungus on the muzzle of the bats when they are hibernating. The disease thrives in cold conditions so most of the bats wind up getting it when they are hibernating. White nose syndrome was discovered in 2007 in upstate New York when instead of hibernating like they were suppose to, the bats started flying into neighborhoods during the day. It was the start of them dying from this fungus. Today this fungus has had a significant impact on the bat population in 33 states and 7 Canadian providences as of October 2018. Unfortunately a huge chunk has already been taken out of the population with millions of bats being lost to the disease. Bats are important for consuming insects. Without them you will find that crops suffer from the extra insects and aphids and mosquito populations will increase.
Where I live there is a mine a couple towns over from our town. It had about 10,000 brown bats in 2007. Now their population is pretty much non existent with only 14 being left in 2009. While it has taken it’s time crossing different areas there are a lot of places feeling it’s impact. All four of our bat species here in Massachusetts are now listed as endangered including the little brown bat which I’ve seen everywhere for most of my life.
Other things also impact bats like pesticides, loss of land and shelter and climate change. I encourage you to look into the bat population in your state and see what you can do. Here is Massachusetts we are now suppose to call when we find a population of bats. We also have a bat house in the field behind our house. Every little bit helps!
Have a magickal day!
Much Love and Many Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong
