Bat Appreciation Month in Charleston, SC

A look at some of the bats that call Charleston their home.

CHStoday: big brown bat

The big brown bat can be found as far south as Colombia.

Photo via Pexels

It’s Bat Appreciation Month, or as we like to call it — Bat-ober. Bats’ affinity for bug-cuisine makes them a natural pesticide and they save South Carolina’s agricultural industry over $115 million each year in pesticides.

There are 14 bats that call South Carolina their home, but let’s take a look at just a few of the bats that can be found in the Lowcountry:

🦇 Big brown bat | Among the largest of the South Carolinian bats, these big browns average at four to five inches in length and can eat a third of its weight in one night.

🦇 Eastern small-footed bat | Like its name suggests, this bat is among the smallest of its region. It’s also relatively rare and can be identified by its black ears and muzzle.

🦇 Evening bat | These beetle-eating bats coexist well with humans and their appetite for Japanese beetles can save your lawn from infestation.