# Do Thousands of Bat Deaths Mean Texans Will Face a Mosquito-Ridden Summer?



## SgtPepper (Nov 22, 2016)

> No one knows yet just how many bats were killed by the frigid conditions of last month’s disastrous winter storm in Texas. Reports popped up across the state about thousands of the winged mammals found either dead or dying. The hardest-hit species appears to have been Mexican free-tailed bats, migrants better suited for warmer climates, as well as some species of yellow bats. But we may not know the full scope of the death toll for quite some time, if we ever do—partly because of a quirk in bat physiology.











Do Thousands of Bat Deaths Mean Texans Will Face a Mosquito-Ridden Summer?


Last month’s winter storm decimated the state’s populations of the winged mammals, which may have lasting ecological effects.




www.texasmonthly.com


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## NIHM (Mar 24, 2014)

SgtPepper said:


> Do Thousands of Bat Deaths Mean Texans Will Face a Mosquito-Ridden Summer?
> 
> 
> Last month’s winter storm decimated the state’s populations of the winged mammals, which may have lasting ecological effects.
> ...


Other things do kill the mosquito population off. But yes there could be a slight increase.

Still, many birds use them as food and they're migratory songbirds that probably wouldn't have been affected by the extreme freeze. Bird predators usually eat both the adult and aquatic stages of mosquitoes.

While bats eat mosquitoes, they are far more effective at locating, catching, and eating insects other than mosquitoes.

Dragonflies are actually mosquito hawks and pretty little efficient killers for them.

Then we have spiders.

I would be more worried about the fish population when it comes to mosquitoes. 

Still, the death of a species within an area can affect the ecology, we won't know for a while what the ecological impact is.


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## Sparky (Mar 15, 2010)

PuCKO said:


> I think that bats don't have so huge an influence on the mosquito population. This year we can expect the usual amount of mosquitos since the weather here is regular, and the official sources expect no massive changes. If you get tired of the mosquitoes problem, I suggest you approach the proper pest company and install some mosquito traps and sprays around your house. You can find professional pest companies like mr mister mosquito control on the internet.


Bats actually have a tremendous influence, though it appears to depend on how many bats there are in the area, or whether there are caves that support large bat populations. In the rainforest, places with caves full of bats will actually have very little mosquitos.


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## Handsome Dyke (Oct 4, 2012)

Knowing Texans, they probably barbecued some of the bats.


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