By Scott LaFee
Bats are a natural pesticide. A single bat can eat between 6,000 and 8,000 insects in a night, depending on species and feeding habits. Since 2006, many bat populations in the U.S. have collapsed due to an invasive fungus found in caves they use.
As a result, farmers in affected areas have increased their use of pesticides with one unforeseen effect: an increase in human infant mortalities.
Scientists found that in areas with fewer bats and more pesticide use, the infant mortality rate rose almost 8%, the equivalent of 1,334 additional infant deaths. For every 1% increase in pesticides, there was a 0.25% increase in the rate.
“Bats have gained a bad reputation as being something to fear, especially after reports of a possible linkage with the origins of COVID-19,” said study author Eyal Frank at the University of Chicago. “But bats do add value to society in their role as natural pesticides, and this study shows that their decline can be harmful to humans.”