Bats get a bad rap, but did you know these spooky little dudes actually play a crucial role in our ecosystem? Here's how we can help our very own, Indiana Bat.

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Batty for Bats

Okay I'm sorry, I'll cool it with the bat puns. However, one thing I'm a big fan of is bats, they're cute little spooky dudes who are crucial to our ecosystem. Not only do bats eat bugs and other pests, but bats are also excellent pollinators.

The Indiana Bat

Did you know that Indiana is the only state with a bat named after it? It's true! The Indiana bat was discovered in the Hoosier state nearly a century ago. According to the Indiana Department of Wildlife, in 1928 a species of bat was discovered in Wynadotte Cave.

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash

The bat was named the Indiana bat, Myotis Sodalis. Here is what the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has to say about the Indiana bat:

The Indiana bat is a highly social bat. Throughout the year, Indiana bats will group in large clusters in caves. The large groups of bats bring many benefits, including keeping them warm throughout the winter and giving more security to the bats in terms of intruders in the cave. More information about our state’s bats can be found at https://www.fws.gov/species/indiana-bat-myotis-sodalis.
If you are more interested in all the bats that can be found in Indiana, see http://wildlife.IN.gov/nongame-and.../bats-of-indiana.

The Indiana Bat is Endangered, How Can We Help?

Our little pollinator friend the Indiana bat has been described by Indiana DNR as "in peril" meaning our spooky little friend is endangered. There are ways to help our Indiana bats out, but according to the DNR one of the biggest ways to help is to spread awareness about bats, and their contributions to our ecosystem.

Because bats are misunderstood, perhaps the best conservation effort is to inform Hoosiers about these beneficial bug eaters. The nongame wildlife program has devoted much effort toward educating the public about bats and their benefits to man.

The Indiana DNR also recommends making a donation to The Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. This fund is the primary source that funds studies to monitor these bats and their habitat, so helping out with funding if you can is a huge help as well. If you'd like to make a donation to help the Indiana bat, you can do so here.

Quiz: Do you know your state insect?

Stacker has used a variety of sources to compile a list of the official state insect(s) of each U.S. state, as well as their unique characteristics. Read on to see if you can guess which insect(s) represent your state.