White Nose Syndrome Killing Bats by Katheryn Krupa

Are you seeing many bats this summer?  I've seen a few, but nowhere near as many as I used to see careening through the evening skies.  White Nose Syndrome is a growing problem, attacking bats around the U.S.  In a nutshell, the fungus is spread to a cave full of hibernating bats. It causes the bats to awaken from hibernation far more often than normal (every 3-4 days instead of the usual 10-20 days).  Since it is winter, there are no insects for the bats to eat and eventually they die of starvation.  So what can we do?  Do not touch bats or visit their caves.  If you must go caving, destroy clothing and clean and bleach boots to prevent the spread of this horrendous disease.  Work with your local scouts or others to build and install bat boxes and research how to install these in bat friendly locations.  For a detailed explanation and an excellent article on this problem and ways to help, visit the bat conservancy website:
http://www.batconservation.org/about-bats/conservation/white-nose-syndrome