WEST biologists Dr. Amanda Hale, Dr. Jennifer H. Stucker, Cecily Foo, and Dr. John Lloyd are co-authors of the recently published research article, “Systematic Review of Crop Pests in the Diets of Four Bat Species Found as Wind Turbine Fatalities,” in the journal Diversity.
Wind energy facilities are frequently located in agriculture fields where insect crop pests are common, and bats have been documented preying upon insects on and near wind turbine towers. A systematic review of bat diets in the Midwest and northern Great Plains reveals that species like big brown and eastern red bats consume crop pests; adequate data are lacking for hoary and silver-haired bats. Understanding crop pest consumption by bats holds potential to help efforts at reducing bat fatalities at wind turbines in agricultural fields.
We appreciate the partnership and financial support from the Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF) – a research fund facilitated through the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI).
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ema88pHV