Bat Appreciation Month in Charleston, SC

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

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Nextdoor
  • Email

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.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Nextdoor
  • Email
Jessalin is based in Brooklyn, NY and holds Masters’ from the University of Colorado and The New School. She loves walking her chihuahuas in Prospect Park and hunting for the perfect brunch.