Bats become farmers’ secret weapon against crop-destroying pests
Bats are proving to be valuable allies for farmers by eating large numbers of crop-damaging insects. New research shows that in heavily farmed regions, these nocturnal hunters spend much of their time patrolling fields. Their diet includes dozens of pest species, offering a natural way to cut down on chemical pesticides.
A study in northeastern Germany tracked serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) and found they spent over half their foraging time above farmland. The area, where 95 percent of the land is used for agriculture, highlights how bats adapt to human-altered landscapes. Their diet there includes 67 different pest species, with the common cockchafer, marsh crane fly, and striped click beetle appearing most often.
The research confirms that bats play a key role in managing insect populations on farms. By targeting pests like beetles and flies, they reduce the need for chemical treatments. Programmes that preserve their habitats could further strengthen this natural form of pest control.
