(UNDATED) Wisconsin’s cave bats are back at their summer roosts in bat houses, outbuildings and barns. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is asking volunteers and landowners to count bats emerging at sunset on one night between June 6 and 8.
This count and another taken later in the summer are known collectively as the Great Wisconsin Bat Count. The counts help the DNR gauge bat population trends in the summer.
The June 6-8 count is known as a “prevolancy” count, meaning it occurs before the newborn bat pups have started flying. The second count is set for July 18-20, after pups have started flying.
Volunteers only need to count one night. Volunteers who can participate two nights in a row can provide useful information about how colonies change from night to night.
In addition to counting emerging bats, volunteers are asked to provide information on the roost site and weather conditions during the count. Counts generally take 20-30 minutes for all the bats to emerge.
Participate and submit your bat counts online at: https://wiatri.net/inventory/bats/volunteer/roosts/
(Photo credit: Wis. Department of Natural Resources)
