Fort Worth Botanic Garden Identified as Habitat for Up to Five Bat Species.

Texas, home to 32 of the nation’s 47 bat species, has long held the title of the “battiest” state. Now, new research has spotlighted the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as a local stronghold for these winged mammals. According to an acoustic survey, up to five distinct bat species regularly visit the garden—more than any other site surveyed across Tarrant and Parker counties.

The study, entering its second year of a five-year effort, is a collaboration among the North American Bat Monitoring Program, the Cross Timbers Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. Volunteers are using specialized equipment to record and identify the ultrasonic calls bats emit during flight.

Two species—the Mexican free-tailed bat and the evening bat—are considered consistent residents of the garden. The tricolored bat, one of the smallest native bats in North America, is also a probable visitor. Additionally, the survey detected sounds from the Lasiurus genus, which includes the Eastern red bat and the hoary bat. These two tree-dwelling species are widely distributed, but their presence at the garden has not yet been definitively confirmed.

Ashley Bales, collections manager at the Philecology Herbarium of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, noted that Texas Master Naturalist volunteers began gathering acoustic data in 2023. The device used for this task, known as the SM-4 or song meter, records high-frequency noises bats make while communicating or hunting.

Once the data is collected, a software program analyzes the sounds by comparing them to known reference calls to identify species. Calls with high-confidence matches are then manually reviewed for further verification. Despite these efforts, the survey acknowledges the limitations of acoustic identification, emphasizing that conclusive species confirmation requires physical observation.

Victoria Bennett, an environmental sciences professor at Texas Christian University who was not involved in the study, said the Fort Worth Botanic Garden offers an ideal habitat for bats. “It has connected tree lines, a significant water source, and open areas for foraging,” she said, noting how these features support bat activity.

The timing of the study is significant, as bats across North America are facing the growing threat of white-nose syndrome—a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. First discovered in New York in 2006, the fungus thrives in cold, moist environments and has decimated bat populations. In Texas, it was initially found in the Panhandle in 2017 and confirmed in Central Texas by 2018. By 2020, a cave myotis infected with the fungus was found dead, and the fungus had been detected in 21 Texas counties.

Rachel Richter, an urban wildlife biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, warned that the tricolored bat is particularly vulnerable to the disease and is currently under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The 2023 North American State of the Bats report emphasizes the urgency of bat conservation, with 12 species known to be susceptible to white-nose syndrome and over half of North American bat species facing moderate to very high extinction risks within the next 15 years due to threats like habitat loss and climate change.

Beyond ecological importance, bats play a crucial economic role. According to Richter, bats help Texas farmers save approximately $1.4 billion annually by reducing the need for pesticides, benefiting both agricultural productivity and environmental health.

“Bats are incredibly valuable,” said Richter. “Not just for controlling insect populations, but for the broader ecological and economic benefits they provide.”

The ongoing monitoring at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden aims to deepen understanding of Texas' native bat populations and strengthen efforts to protect these essential but increasingly imperiled creatures.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-05-species-texas-fort-worth-botanic.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.