Birds and Bugs

Since I started my Adventures in Birding back in 2009, I’ve been conducting research about birds and bugs.  There is conflicting scientific "evidence" about the effects of wild fowl on insect populations.  For example, one report from the Pennsylvania Game Commission claims wild turkeys consume up to 200 wood ticks per day.  Another study from womenhunters.com claims wild turkeys actually bring in more wood ticks.  I will let the so-called experts fight it out among themselves, but rather will present my own conclusions based on 43 years of life spent in the country.

When we first moved to Stillwater in 1969, there was little wildlife in the area.  No ducks or geese, nor any deer, but the dog ticks were plentiful.  The addition of  our horses and dogs seemed to make the situation worse.  Medication helped the dogs but traditional equine bug spray did little to prevent the infestation of my horses.  In particular, my gray Anglo-Arab was a magnet for the blood suckers. 

In the early 80s, the wood tick problem actually became worse when my neighbors to the north added a flock of sheep.  White and low to the ground, these animals made an easy and plentiful target.  At one point, the tick infestation became so bad a trip down the asphalt driveway to get the mail would attract three or four blood suckers.  Perhaps the lowest point was when we found them scaling the house searching for a way in.  I must admit, this revelation brought a serious discussion about moving.

A turning point occurred when the sheep left and my last horse died in 1999.  The number of dog ticks continued to drop after my golden retriever passed away in the summer of 2005.  However, right around that time the tiny but deadly deer ticks began moving into the St. Croix River Valley.

The summer of 2008 registered an alarming number of deer ticks.  In 2010 I had four bites, one of which was serious enough to  leave lasting repercussions.  Over a year later, it becomes red and swollen when I get hot and sweaty.

This year I have not  had one wood tick bite.  In fact, I have only seen one of each variety.  In late May, I found a deer tick crawling on my arm, and a week later, I discovered a dog tick crawling on a stepping stone by the fountain.  Additionally, the number of mosquitoes has also decreased.  While I want to acknowledge  the efforts of twin cities mosquito control, spraying and pellet bombs have been in use for many years. 

I have heard that ticks and other creepy crawlies go in cycles, but my personal observations clearly indicate a steady decline.  Call it anecdotal information, but these are my conclusions:

--White or light-colored mammals attract wood ticks.

--Wild birds, especially turkeys, and bats have a huge impact on controlling 
   harmful pests.

Well-meaning friends often chide me for spending so much money feeding my feathered friends, but I consider this expenditure an investment in my home as well as a hobby.  In fact, I think of seed, suet and corn as a reward to my winged ones for making my land livable again.  

Bat Deaths from WNF

Disturbing news from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the health of North American bat populations.   An agency  news release dated January 17^th of this year reported that since White Nose Fungus (WNF)  was first detected in 2006 at Howes Cave near Albany, NY, an estimated 6.7 million mammals have died in 16 northeastern states and Canada.  Wildlife experts predict the disease will soon spread as far west as Oklahoma and threatens at least three species-- the little brown bat; the tri-colored bat; and the northern long-eared bat--with extinction. 

Named for the way it covers their snouts like baby powder, WNF is caused by an aggressive flesh-eating fungus that eats through the skin and membranes of bats.

Photo courtesy Al Hicks, New York Department of Environmental Conservation

When you consider that one million bats can consume  nearly 700 tons of harmful insects per year, the agricultural ramifications of this disease are disastrous.

The most frightening aspect to this story, however, is found in the following  statement from Bat Conservation International:

“Scientists across North America are searching desperately for solutions, but they have thus far found no way to cure WN Syndrome or to slow its relentless advance across the continent.”

Good grief!  First the honey bees, and now the bats!  What in the world is going on and why can’t anyone do anything about it?!  Surely the best and brightest minds from our greatest universities and think tanks can get to the bottom of these crises.  It’s been interesting to peruse the comments sections from the bat article and read the theories that have been offered up, such as:  wind turbines; cell towers; chem trails.  What do YOU think?

Bat Conservation International Press Release: 
http://www.batcon.org/pdfs/WNS_Death_Toll_1-17-12_FINAL.pdf

Washington Post story:  
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nearly-7-million-bats-may-have-died-from-white-nose-fungus-officials-say/2012/01/17/gIQAyixH6P_story.html

Going to Bat for Bats

Bon Bon Pond is proud to join the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) in their efforts to promote awareness and appreciation for the world’s bat populations.  These organizations have launched a two-year campaign to help protect one of the planet’s most maligned, misunderstood and mistreated mammals.

Thanks in large part to the Dracula story and sensationalized news reporting, bats have received an undeserved reputation as evil, disease carriers.  Recognized as a friend to farmers and outdoor enthusiasts, insectivorous bats consume millions of harmful pests each year.  Fruit and nectar consuming bats are equally as important, thanks to their pollination and seed dispersal services. Together, bats worldwide  play an important part in preserving the planet’s ecosystem.

Did you know . . .

A single Little Brown Bat can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes in a single hour, and is one of the world's longest-lived mammals for its size, with life spans of almost 40 years.

Bats are more closely related to humans and other primates than they are to rodents. Several studies indicate that the Old World Fruit Bats and Flying Foxes may actually be descended from early primates such as lemurs.

There are over 1200 known species of bats, just about 25% of all mammal species. Most of these bats are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Most bat moms give birth to only a single pup each year, making them very vulnerable to extinction. Bats are the slowest reproducing mammals on earth for their size.

Contrary to popular myths, most bats have very good eyesight, have excellent echolocation so they do not become entangled in human hair, and seldom transmit disease to other animals or humans.

The world's smallest mammal is the Bumblebee Bat of Thailand which weighs about as much as a dime and is critically endangered due to habitat loss.

Bats are very clean animals, and groom themselves almost constantly (when not eating or sleeping) to keep their fur soft and clean, like tiny cats.

The 30 million Mexican Free-Tailed Bats from Bracken Cave in Texas eat 250 TONS of insects every summer night. They sometimes fly up to two miles high to feed or to catch tailwinds that carry them over long distances, and can fly at speeds of more than 60 miles per hour.

A single colony of 150 Big Brown Bats can protect local farmers from up to 33 million or more rootworms each summer.

Many important agricultural plants, like bananas, peaches, bread-fruit, mangoes, cashews, almonds, dates and figs rely on bats for pollination and seed dispersal. 

All mammals can contract rabies; however, even the less than half of one percent of bats that do, normally bite only in self-defense and pose little threat to people who do not handle them.

Nearly 40% of American bat species are in severe decline or already listed as endangered or threatened. Losses are occurring at alarming rates worldwide.

Providing bat houses can help build the populations of many valuable bat species that eat many crop-damaging insects, such as cucumber and June beetles, stink bugs, leafhoppers and corn worm moths. Bat houses furnish places for bats to roost, hibernate and raise young.

For more amazing bat facts, please visit:

http://www.batrescue.org/batfacts/batfacts.html