How many bugs can a bat eat each night?

Having bats in your yard probably isn't a bad thing if you don't like bugs. These flying animals are well known for their insect-eating habit, and they are classes as one of nature's little insect removers.



Bats eat a lot of different insects, and they do so as they are flying around at night. They tend to hang around close to water because of the numerous bugs that tend to congregate around that area. There are close to a thousand different species of bat across the globe, and the majority of them eat foods such as insects - flies, moths, and particularly mosquitos (which help humans greatly). If it weren't for these bats, the insect populations would be so huge they would drive us poor humans crazy. Imagine all the bug bites you would get, and the amounts of cream or lotion you would need to apply to stop them from itching like mad.

Just one bat on its own can plough its way through around 1,2000 mosquitos, or similar bugs that are a similar size to them, for each hour that they are out during the night and hunt for food. This means that, on average, one bat will eat between six and eight thousand bugs. Alongside mosquitos, this will also include gnats, flies, moths (which are known to destroy crops as well as other things), and beetles. They are essential insect control that has been provided by nature.

Not just keeping the fly and insect population down, bats also play a very important role in the dispersal. They are almost as important as birds are, in fact. Not only do they eat flies and other insects, but they also eat fruits and seeds, and in doing so, they not only drop seeds and therefore plant more of what they have eaten, in other areas. This will be in the seeds that they accidentally drop.

Before bats start eating bugs at night, they usually go for a drink of water first. Read about How Do Bats Find and Drink Water?

Bats are good creatures for the planet, and they have many more positives than they do negatives. This only applies when they are OUTSIDE your home, however, so it might be time for you to make sure your property is bat-proof today. Give us a call for more information.

Learn more about Bats in the attic