White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease that has killed more than six million bats across eastern North America. A recent survey found no evidence of the disease in the Lone Star State.
Surveys were conducted by Bat Conservation International through a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and in cooperation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of California in Santa Cruz. Cave walls and individual bats were swabbed for the fungus, but the nearest confirmed occurrence of WNS to Texas is now in north-central Arkansas.
Bats are good for the environment as they consume insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. Some species of bats can consume as many as 1,000 insects an hour. Many of the insects eaten by bats consume agricultural plants. Researchers estimated that bats in the United States save farmers nearly $4 million annually in prevented crop damage and reduced pesticide costs, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
There is no known cure for WNS at this time. Research is ongoing and TPWD will continue to monitor Texas caves.