BURLINGTON, VT – In late September the Senate unanimously passed a bicameral resolution designating the last week of October as ‘Bat Week’. The resolution, sponsored by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), emphasizes the importance of conserving bat species and habitatsand calls on Congress and government agencies to continue to addresswhite-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that threatens bats’ key role as pollinators and pest control for agriculture. U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.  

Welch and Balint released the following statements of support for the resolution: 

“Bats are a huge benefit to our ecosystems, farms, and nation—from saving farmers billions of dollars on pest control to keeping our air clean. Half of bat species in our state are endangered, and white-nose syndrome is killing entire populations of bats—posing a real threat to the environmental and public health benefits these creatures provide,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to continue the tradition of ‘Bat Week’ and will keep up the fight in the bat-tle against white-nose syndrome.” 

“Bats play a critical role in healthy ecosystems, from pollinating plants to keeping insect populations in check. But here in Vermont, half of our bat species are endangered, and white-nose syndrome has devastated all six of our state’s cave-dwelling bat species,” said Congresswoman Balint. “I’m glad to see the Senate pass this resolution recognizing Bat Week and raising awareness about the threats bats face. We have a responsibility to protect Vermont’s wildlife and the ecosystems that sustain us.” 

Bats are present throughout the world and are the second-largest order of mammals with over 1,400 species. Bats play an important role in pollination and pest control, saving farmers in the United States more than $3.7 billion in pest control every year. 

These benefits are threatened by the spread of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has killed millions of bats in North America, including nearly 6 million bats in the northeastern United States since 2006. The disease has spread to 41 states and 12 species of hibernating bats and has affected all six of Vermont’s cave bat species. Populations of cave bats have significantly declined since the disease was first reported in Vermont.  

Read and download the full text of the resolution. 

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