ODNR Division of Wildlife staff deployed bat detectors at various locations around the state this summer to collect data about what species of bats are present in an area. Bat detectors work by recording the echolocation calls of bats, which can later be viewed as sonograms on a computer. Most species of bat produce a slightly different call, so species can be identified by the pattern they produce. The exception is bats in the genus Myotis which are hard to distinguish and usually all get categorized as “high-frequency bats.” Information collected can also help determine relative abundance of each species where the calls were recorded.
This information is important because all 10 species of bats native to Ohio are on the state endangered species list as either Endangered, Threatened, Species of Special Interest, or Species of Concern. Many of these species are cave-dwelling bats whose populations have been severely affected by White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a cold-loving fungus. Bats infected with WNS wake up more frequently during hibernation which causes them to use up their stored fat reserves at a faster rate. They end up dying before they can emerge from hibernation. WNS is thought to be invasive and introduced from Europe. WNS was first found in Ohio in 2011 and has since spread throughout the state.
Learn more about WNS and the effect it has had on Ohio’s bat population: http://ow.ly/5EF730lSOOF