Researchers have developed feeding devices for bats emerging from hibernation to help mitigate the impacts of white-nose syndrome, a finding reported by the British Ecological Society. The work explores practical strategies to support bat populations as they wake from torpor, with a focus on sustaining energy reserves during a period of heightened vulnerability.
White-nose syndrome is a deadly fungal disease affecting many bat species. The visible sign is a whitening of the muzzle caused by the growth of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans on exposed skin. Beyond the cosmetic change, the infection disrupts bats during hibernation, triggering arousal from torpor at inappropriate times. These premature wake-ups force bats to burn through their fat stores, often leading to weight loss, emaciation, and eventually starvation when food is scarce. The disease has had a devastating effect on bat communities, contributing to dramatic declines in several species and altering ecosystem dynamics where bats play a crucial role in insect control and pollination. Recent studies emphasize the urgency of understanding how to reduce mortality and support recovery in affected populations.
In a controlled field approach, zoologists investigated whether little brown bats could be encouraged to forage more actively by placing food-rich stations near winter roosts. The concept involved light-trap feeding setups designed to attract live insects, thereby creating a dependable food source for bats during a critical period of energetic stress. The aim was to bolster fat reserves before the peak of hibernation and to aid recovery in the weeks following arousal, potentially offsetting the energy deficits caused by the disease. By supplying targeted insect resources adjacent to wintering grounds, researchers hoped to improve survival rates and support healthier post-hibernation condition in affected populations. The effectiveness of these stations was assessed by monitoring echolocation calls and social vocalizations emitted by bats during foraging, using acoustic monitoring as a proxy for activity and feeding success.
Data collected from sites with feeding kiosks were compared against control locations lacking such provisions. The comparison revealed a statistically significant increase in foraging activity among bats near the programmed stations. This uptick in feeding activity suggests that providing proximate, readily available prey items can help bats replenish energy stores more efficiently during the winter period, potentially reducing mortality associated with repeated arousals from torpor. While the intervention is not a cure for white-nose syndrome, it offers a practical management option to bolster resilience in bat populations that face this disease, especially in regions where wintering habitats are fragmented or under pressure from habitat loss and climate variability. Researchers caution that such measures should be integrated with broader conservation strategies, including monitoring, habitat protection, and ongoing disease research. According to Dr. Winifred Frick, one of the project’s proponents, “these results indicate that increasing the availability of insects near wintering grounds could help mitigate some of the energy costs imposed by white-nose syndrome.” The perspective is that maintaining higher fat reserves through nearby prey sources could improve overall condition and survival prospects for affected bats.
Historically, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) was once one of the most common bat species across North America. However, populations have suffered severe declines due to white-nose syndrome, with some estimates suggesting a reduction approaching ninety percent in certain areas. The new feeding-station approach provides a potential avenue to help steady or reverse parts of this trend, particularly in habitats where food resources are scarce during cold months. While further research is needed to optimize station placement, bait selection, and long-term outcomes, the early findings offer a hopeful direction for supporting insectivorous bats whose ecological services are valued by farmers, foresters, and natural-resource managers alike. In the broader context, such interventions contribute to a more integrated strategy for bat conservation that couples disease management with habitat enhancement, community engagement, and adaptive management informed by ongoing monitoring and adaptive experimentation. [Source attribution: British Ecological Society]