White-Nose Syndrome Fungus Kills Ninety Percent (90%) of Bats in Hibernia Mine (New Jersey's Largest Hibernaculum)

Bats kill a lot of mosquitoes, beetles, moths and other irritating pests, so if the bat's numbers decrease, like the 90% loss being reported in one area of New Jersey, then the numbers of these irritating pests will increase. The article says that the search for the cause is still ongoing.

White-nose syndrome has claimed 90 percent of the bats that hibernate in Hibernia Mine, New Jersey's largest hibernaculum, according to a state Department of Environmental Protection official.

Scientists counted just 1,753 bats in the mine during a Feb. 14 visit, a dramatic drop from the more than 27,000 that typically spend their winter there, said Mick Valent, principal zoologist with the state's Endangered and Non-game Species Program.

Source: DailyRecord.com