Bats and the West Nile Virus

Despite what you may have heard, bats do not transmit the West Nile Virus to people or other animals. The virus is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes. Members of only two bat species have been found to be infected with the virus and, like most other mammals, bats are "dead-end hosts" - they do not transmit the virus back to mosquitoes as birds do.

Let Nature Help
Natural predators that feed on mosquitoes - including bats, birds, fish, and other insects - can play an important role in reducing insect-borne diseases. Although no single approach to mosquito control is appropriate for all locations, encouraging these natural defenses should be an important part of long-term control whenever possible. Quick-fix options, such as wide-scale chemical applications and expensive mosquito-killing machines, are not practical. They often endanger human health and threaten non-target insects and animals. They also, over time, kill far more predators of mosquitoes than mosquitoes, actually aiding mosquito population growth and increasing demands for stronger and more dangerous pesticides.

Consider Bat Houses
Under the right circumstances, bat houses (artificial structures for bats) can aid our efforts to control mosquitoes. Bats eat huge quantities of insect pests, and some species are fond of mosquitoes. But, like bluebirds and purple martins, bat populations are declining for lack of places to live. You can help bats and reduce the number of insects in your yard by installing bat houses.

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