White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by the cold-loving, Eurasian fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd, has been devastating to bats since its arrival in North America in 2006. The fungus attacks bats during their delicate winter hibernation, when their immune response and other body functions are low. It invades their skin, causing dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, severe wing damage, and frequent arousals from torpor that cost them too much stored energy. In many afflicted hibernacula, WNS has killed 90-100% of the bats. About six million bats across 31 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces have died so far (whitenosesyndrome.org, accessed 10/6/2017), including tens of thousands from NJ. Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), Northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis), Tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus), and other small-bodied species have been especially hard hit.

The tiny remains of bats that perished from White-nose Syndrome. Click to enlarge

There are clear solutions to the wind energy problem, at least. Most bat conflicts happen during a protracted fall migration period, during low wind speed conditions when weather and temperature also favor bat activity. During a curtailment study at a wind farm in PA, as many as 93% fewer bats were killed when turbines were programmed to stop spinning at wind speeds below 6.5 meters per second, when bats are known to be most active (Arnett et al. 2011). Best management practices for bats now need to become industry standards.

Bats do best in healthy forests with clean water, diverse insect prey and ample roosting options. Click to enlarge