How Many Bugs per Night Do Bats Eat

The propensity of bats to consume high numbers of bugs is arguably the most desirable benefit of the flying mammal. 70% of all bat species nationwide feed exclusively on insects, with others feed on a variety of fruits, nectar and insects. This article explores the relationship between bats and their bug consumption.



Bats thrive mainly on insects; you can call them insectivores. They love to eat flies, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, wasps, dragon flies, and other insects. This naturally means that bats can be deployed as a control measure against inbreeding of bugs in human dwellings.

Researchers and scientists have posited that a bat can eat 600 to 1,000 mosquitoes and other insect pests in just one hour.

Now, the question is how many can they consume in a night? If we assume that a night lasts for approximately 10hours. This is from 10pm – 5am, if a single bat consumes an average of 800 bugs per night, 800 x 10 would give us 8,000 bugs per night. And nursing mothers will eat even more than other bats!

If bats can consume this volume of insect per night, then they are a really viable means for pest control, especially of insects. Bats can be deployed by homeowners that are battling an insect problem instead of insecticides. On the same note, usage of bats to control bug populations is an organic approach to pest control.

People even go the extra mile to establish bat habitats in their homes so as to attract bats and enjoy the natural insect control and enhanced ecosystem biodiversity that they bring.

Unfortunately, about 40 percent of bats all over the world are in danger of going extinct. Bats are tagged endangered species in many parts of the world and one of the reasons for their vulnerability is that they are slow at reproducing themselves. Most bats give birth to only one pup a year, which means they cannot quickly rebuild their populations

While the brown bats feed on soft bodied insects such as moths, flies, mosquitos and mayflies, the larger big brown bat has a different taste – they go for hard bodied beetles which includes the ground beetles, June beetles and cucumber beetles. Generally, they eat up both good and bad insects which may not be so good for the ecosystem.

The foraging habit of bats allows them to eat a variety of foods. They are opportunistic feeders and will make do with the food (insects) at their disposal per time.

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Wildlife Education - Information and Advice for the Safe Removal of Bats from Attics