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The Georgia Bat Working Group is a partnership of interests relating to the conservation and management of bats in Georgia. Representatives from various aspects of bat management in the government, private and non-profit sectors work together to fulfill our mission: to ensure the long-term health of Georgia’s bat populations through integrated research, management, and public education.
Learn more at Georgia Bat Working Group
Becoming City Forest Certified through Bat Stewardship is in partnership with the Georgia Bat Working Group. By following this track, you are acting on your support of Trees, Bats, Trees Atlanta, and the Georgia Bat Working Group.
The Bat Stewardship badge is earned by meeting all (14) of the goals below. Your Bat Stewardship Accomplishment is recognized by the addition of a Bat Stewardship badge on your City Forest Certification Sign.
Bats are the only mammal capable of flight. They account for approximately 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide. There are over 1,400 species of bats worldwide, and Georgia is home to 16 of these species!
Georgia’s bats live in many different habitats with some species preferring caves and trees. Almost all of the bats in our state can use either the cavities, hollows, loose bark, or foliage of trees as roosts. Some of these species have adapted their behaviors in urbanized environments and will roost in man-made structures.
Bats can be quite common in urban communities, and yet residents are usually unaware of their presence. All of Georgia’s bats are insectivores, which means they only eat insects. Bats are primary predators of night flying insects. They can eat as much as half their body weight or more each night in mosquitoes, midges, moths, beetles, flies, crickets, caddis flies, crane flies, other insects, and occasionally spiders. Bats can consume up to 300-500 or more mosquitoes and mosquito-sized insects in one hour! In the United States, insect-eating bats have saved farmers approximately $23 billion annually through crop protection and reduced pesticide use. Bats are also beneficial to have in our neighborhoods because the insects they consume might otherwise become nuisances to us or pests in our gardens or forests. The alternative to bats is greater pesticide use, which brings another set of ecological concerns. And as a bonus, bats can be entertaining to watch as they fly erratically across the dusky evening sky.
SAVE OUR SKY PUPPIES!
Georgia’s bats (aka Sky Puppies) are facing tough times from threats such as habitat loss, disease, and negative perceptions. We can help our bats by creating more suitable local environments for both trees and bats by following the practices on this page. With a little help, bats can continue to live among us in a mutually beneficial relationship.
To meet some of our Georgia Bats, please visit the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
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