Part 4/8:
Research supports the role of bats as natural pest controllers. A recent study in the Mediterranean found that strategically placed bat houses around rice paddies reduced the need for pesticides, as bats feasted on crop-damaging insects, particularly moths. In Thailand, bats have been known to consume plant hoppers that are harmful to rice crops. Bats' impact, however, doesn't eliminate all pests; rather, they help mitigate damage to a level that makes the costs of pesticide application unnecessary.