Beautiful Bevy of Bats

Bats evoke so many emotions. Some people find them cute, or cool, while others find them downright creepy. To conservationists, they are an essential part of the ecosystem.

This past summer MECT piloted an acoustic listening device and software protocol to learn about the bats visiting our conservation area. The software can distinguish between individual species by their echolocation signatures and calls.

To our surprise, based on preliminary information, several rare and protected species were identified. Are they living here beside Shingle Place Hill and Cedar Swamp Swamp or did we detect them migrating through to warmer climates? The pilot has been expanded in 2026, and we can’t wait to share our results.