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WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT BATS? Bats are the second most diverse order of mammals with about 1,400 species worldwide. Currently, there are 150 species of bats recognized in North America, including 138 that are found in Mexico, 47 in the United States, and 17 in Canada. NABat will focus on the 47 species that are found in the United States and shared with Canada or Mexico. In Canada, three species are listed by the federal government as endangered, one species is considered threatened, and another species is considered a species of special concern. In the United States, eight species or subspecies are listed as endangered by the federal government and one species is listed as threatened. In Mexico, three species are considered threatened and two species are provided special protection. Bats are important to the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and are considered to be good bioindicators for monitoring ecosystem health because of their longevity and their sensitivity to changes in their environment that may also affect many other organisms. Additionally, bats provide many benefits and services to humans. Because bats are active mainly during the night (nocturnal) many of their important benefits and services occur “under the radar.” Insect Consumption One of the most important services that bats provide is insect consumption. Approximately 70 percent of all bat species either depend exclusively or primarily on insects for food, and these bats consume large numbers of insects throughout the growing season. For example, colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats in Texas often contain over 1 million bats; the economic importance of their foraging has been estimated to save cotton farmers approximately $12.2 million a year in insect pest suppression. Other studies estimate that bats across the United States and other parts of the word save farmers billions of dollars each year by patrolling the dark skies and literally gobbling up tons of flying crop pests each night. Pollination Some species of bats are also important pollinators of native and commercial plants. Over 500 different types of tropical plants are pollinated by bats every year. For example, nectar feeding bats pollinate Agave tequilana , which is the principal component used in the distillation of tequila, an economically important product of Mexico. These bats forage by plunging their faces down into a flower and using their very long tongues to lap up nectar stored there. While they are doing this, pollen becomes attached to their fur. Then when they visit other flowers, some of this pollen comes off, thereby fertilizing the flowers. Seed Dispersal Fruit-eating bats in the tropics and subtropics are important seed dispersers and aid in regenerating forests and fruit crops. When bats fly across nighttime landscapes, their combined abilities of digesting quickly and defecating ‘on-the-fly’ play an important role in regenerating clear-cut forests, especially rainforests. Bats also redistribute nutrients across the landscape. Bat guano is exceptionally high in nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Guano accumulations around the bases of bat roosts in dead trees fertilize the soil and may also aid in forest regeneration. Medical Research and Technology Bats provide many other benefits to humans, some of which are just becoming known. They have served as important models in medical research, and compounds from their bodies are being used in new medical treatments. Because bats live much longer than would be expected based on their body size, they provide a good model for studies of the aging process, and studies of their metabolism have provided insight into some causes of aging. The transparent and extremely thin structure of bat wings have led to improved understanding of the dynamics of blood circulation in mammals. In other studies, a compound found in the saliva of the common vampire bat is being tested as a treatment for stroke victims, as it shows promise in providing faster restoration of blood flow with reduced risk of bleeding and can be administered later than other stroke treatments. Biotechnology Research & Dev'mt Bats have the most sophisticated flight mechanisms in all the animal kingdom. The structure and function of bat wings have been studied to understand the aerodynamics of complex flight. These studies are beginning to inspire engineered designs of futuristic aircraft, such as drones. In addition to fertilization, the components of bat guano may lead to future uses. The chitin from undigested insect shells found in bat guano may be used in pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, agriculture pest control, and textiles. The bacteria of bat guano, rich in ammonia, may someday be used in environmental engineering to remove nitrogen from industrial waste before it reaches our lakes and rivers. Ecotourism Nightly bat emergences during summertime from daytime roosts in caves, tunnels, mines, or bridges provide impressive viewing opportunities as tens of thousands to millions of bats leave their roosts to forage for insects. Their collective flight can draw thousands of spectators, create interpretive opportunities, and provide economic benefits to nearby communities. For example, the emergence of Mexican free-tailed bats at Carlsbad Caverns or the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, TX, bring thousands of visitors to these areas. Total annual visitation to view Mexican free-tailed bats at these and 15 other sites in the southwestern United States was over 242,000 visitors, and their visits were conservatively estimated to bring in $6.5 million per year to the local communities.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: Missing required HOW TO RESOLVE: Enter missing required data (required status by field indicated in third row of template) based on data type restrictions listed by field in third header row of template. Ensure each record includes values for all required field before re-uploading. Example: A portion of the stationary acoustic full template showing required status by field listed in the third row of template ADDED EXPLANATION: Surveys must include key fields that answer "where, what, when, and who" questions: either a 'GRTS Cell Id' or 'Latitude'/'Longitude' to locate the survey; a 'Site Name' to describe the place; 'Survey Start Time' and 'Survey End Time'; the the 'Name of Surveyor(s)'. Each survey type may also require a few additional fields. If any required fields are omitted, the upload wizard will block the file or flag row-level omissions. Use the template's informational header rows to see which fields are required and ensure each data entry row contains entries for these fields before uploading.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: FOREACH expression must not be null HOW TO RESOLVE: Enter missing required data based on the template's header rows—the third row indicates required status by field, and the second row lists data type restrictions. Ensure each record includes values for all required fields before re-uploading. Example: The "Auto Id" field in the acoustic templates must include one of the controlled categorical responses listed in the second header row. An entry for this field is 'REQUIRED' for successful data upload. ADDED EXPLANATION: Surveys must include key fields that answer the "where, what, when, and who" questions: either a GRTS Cell ID or latitude/longitude to locate the survey, a Site Name to describe the place, survey start and end times, and the names of surveyors. Each survey type may also require a few additional fields. If required columns are missing entirely, the upload wizard will block the file. If required columns are present but individual rows lack values, those rows will be flagged while the rest of the file can load. Use the template's informational header rows to identify which fields are required and ensure each data entry row contains values for these fields before uploading.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: deadlock detected HOW TO RESOLVE: These errors stem from system interruptions rather than issues with your data. Simply re-upload the file. For persistent deadlock errors with large files, try splitting the upload into smaller chunks.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: Name of Species List for Manual Id must be specified when Manual Id is specified. HOW TO RESOLVE: Species list errors will appear as missing-field or invalid-categorical errors. When uploading acoustic data, you must specify which custom species list was used for Auto ID and Manual ID -- the corresponding fields are 'Name of Species List for Auto Id' and 'Name of Species List for Manual Id'. These fields behave like controlled categorical fields but are managed in the Partner Portal rather than in your CSV. Create or edit your project's species lists in the Partner Portal, then enter the exact list names in your upload file. ADDED EXPLANATION: Knowing which species were considered during Auto ID and Manual ID analyses is essential for estimating detection probabilities and modeling populations. Errors involving the 'Name of Species List for Auto ID' and 'Name of Species List for Manual ID' fields arise when the names provided in the CSV do not match any list defined in the Partner Portal. To resolve these errors, navigate to your project's Species Lists tab, enter edit mode, and add a new list. Give the list a clear name, provide a brief description, and use the Definition column to include or exclude species. After saving, enter the exact list name in the 'Name of Species List for Auto Id' and/or 'Name of Species List for Manual Id' fields in your CSV. Projects may use different lists for Auto ID and Manual ID—for example, a comprehensive regional list for automated classification and a smaller subset for manual verification. Ensure every list referenced in your data has been created in the Partner Portal and is named exactly as it appears in your upload file.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: invalid input syntax for type time: HOW TO RESOLVE: This error is due to a date and/or time formatting issue. Use the template's second header row the view data type requirements and replace the erroneous data in flagged fields accordingly. Adjust cell formats or use find/replace to convert values to the correct type. ADDED EXPLANATION: Each field in the template requires a particular data type (text, integer, decimal, date-time, or true/false) or a controlled categorical response. Values that don't match these requirements will be rejected. In a spreadsheet, adjust cell formats or use find/replace to convert values—for example, changing numbers stored as text into actual numbers, converting decimals to integers, or trimming time-zone suffixes from date-time strings. For widespread issues in non-required fields, consider omitting the column entirely and re-uploading.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: A Internal winter hibernaculum survey must have a site use type of hibernacula or winter roost HOW TO RESOLVE: 'Site Use Type' missing required entry of 'winter hibernacula' or 'winter non-hibernacula'. Ensure each record includes values for all required fields before re-uploading. ADDED EXPLANATION: Surveys must include key fields that answer the "where, what, when, and who" questions: either a GRTS Cell ID or latitude/longitude to locate the survey, a Site Name to describe the place, survey start and end times, and the names of surveyors. Each survey type may also require a few additional fields. If required columns are missing entirely, the upload wizard will block the file. If required columns are present but individual rows lack values, those rows will be flagged while the rest of the file can load. Use the template's informational header rows to identify which fields are required and ensure each data entry row contains values for these fields before uploading.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: needs to include date and time HOW TO RESOLVE: Use the template's second header row to view data type requirements and replace erroneous data in flagged fields accordingly. Accepted timestamp formats are listed in the second header row for the 'Audio Recording Time' field. Adjust cell formats for errored records or use find/replace to convert values to the correct type. Example: The 'Audio Recording Time' field accepts timestamps listed in the format displayed above. ADDED EXPLANATION: Each field in the template requires a particular data type (text, integer, decimal, date-time, or true/false) or a controlled categorical response. Values that don't match these requirements will be rejected. In a spreadsheet, adjust cell formats or use find/replace to convert values—for example, changing numbers stored as text into actual numbers, converting decimals to integers, or trimming time-zone suffixes from date-time strings. For widespread issues in non-required fields, consider omitting the column entirely and re-uploading.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: Unable to distrubte transect points HOW TO RESOLVE: Ensure each row has a valid location combination: 'GRTS Cell Id' alone, 'GRTS Cell Id' with 'Quadrant', or 'Latitude'/'Longitude'. Verify longitudes are negative and lat/long values aren't swapped. If both 'GRTS Cell Id' and coordinates are present but conflict, remove whichever you trust less—delete the 'GRTS Cell Id' value (keeping the column) if you trust coordinates, or omit lat/long to let the system match on cell ID and site name. Ensure site names are unique to prevent ambiguity. For repeat visits to established sites, verify coordinates remain consistent—new coordinates within 55m of an existing site are ignored, coordinates 55–100m away create a new map point but maintain site association, but coordinates exceeding 100m generate an entirely new site record, breaking data continuity and preventing trend analyses. Mobile transect surveys operate under different logic that matches primarily on unique Site Name values; see "ADDED EXPLANATION" for details. ADDED EXPLANATION: NABat requires at least a 'GRTS Cell Id' to assign surveys to a 10×10 km grid cell, but recommends providing additional granularity via 'Quadrant' or 'Latitude'/'Longitude' when possible. Location errors occur when this information is missing, ambiguous, or internally conflicting. Ambiguity commonly arises when generic site names (e.g., "Bridge 1" or "Cave") are reused across multiple locations, or when provided coordinates fall outside the boundaries of the stated GRTS cell. For large datasets, load coordinates into GIS or mapping tools to verify placements and catch systematic issues such as swapped lat/long columns or missing negative signs. To avoid unintentional site splits when revisiting established sites, verify coordinates match prior uploads or omit coordinates entirely to let the system match on Site Name alone. Mobile transect surveys can match solely on a unique 'Site Name' value, bypassing some ambiguity checks applied to other survey types. It is recommended that users draw a line object representing their route on the project map, named to exactly match the Site Name value(s) in the upload file. The portal can then estimate missing lat/long coordinates by combining route geometry with elapsed time during the survey. Without a defined line object, surveys traversing multiple GRTS cells with missing coordinates cannot be processed—users must estimate coordinates themselves or provide the 'GRTS Cell Id' for each record. Surveys occurring entirely within a single cell should still have their route drawn; however, users preferring coarser resolution can provide only the 'GRTS Cell Id'.

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: A recording name is unique to a project and can only be processed as part of one deployment. An entry of this recording name already exists HOW TO RESOLVE: Duplicate errors occur when the system encounters repeated survey records. This error typically occurs when duplicate records occur within an individual csv. Use conditional formatting on a unique identifier—such as 'Audio Recording Name' for acoustic surveys, or a concatenated set of fields (using CONCAT or TEXTJOIN) for other survey types—to highlight repeated rows, then delete or consolidate them. If duplicates persist despite removing and re-uploading affected data, contact the NABat Technical Outreach Team. ADDED EXPLANATION: The duplicate detection logic in the NABat database varies by survey type. For emergence count surveys, each unique combination of Site Name, Exit Identifier (if provided), Surveyor, and Species should appear in a single row—multiple rows from the same surveyor for the same combination are flagged as duplicates, whereas rows from different surveyors are averaged to produce the final count. Roost count surveys use different logic: counts are summed within each surveyor's report for a given site, section, and species, and if multiple surveyors report, their sums are averaged—so duplicates are not flagged in the same way. Beyond survey-type logic, duplicate errors can arise from re-uploading the same data in quick succession, inadvertently uploading the same survey under different file names, accidental copy/paste duplication within a file, or leftover data from older versions of the upload logic. When identifying duplicates within a file, Excel's Conditional Formatting (Home → Styles → Conditional Formatting → Highlight Cells → Duplicate Values) can highlight repeated values in a unique identifier column. For surveys lacking a single unique field, create a new column that concatenates key fields to form a composite identifier. When comparing across uploads, note the conflicting file's name and created date in the Partner Portal, download it, and review side-by-side with your current file to determine which version is more complete or accurate. In rare cases, the database may retain artifacts of previously deleted data that trigger duplicate errors on subsequent uploads—if you suspect this scenario after repeated removal and re-upload attempts, contact the NABat Technical Outreach Team to investigate.

da614f33-c539-44a0-9514-ed406ede658c Photo credit: J. Scott Altenbach USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Myotis velifer Order: Chiroptera Suborder: Yangochiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae Call characteristics: High frequency caller (~40 kHz range) Weight 1/4 - 1/2 oz (7 - 14 g) Body Length 2.25 in (5.6 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Cave Myotis The cave Myotis varies in appearance depending on region, with individuals in the eastern portion of the range having paler brown fur and individuals in the west appearing darker brown. The face, ears, and wing membranes are a dark, dusky color. Prey includes moths, beetles, weevils, and other insects. The cave Myotis prefers forested habitat across a range of elevations. This species roosts in caves, tunnels, buildings, and abandoned mines. Some cave Myotis have been observed migrating south for winter, while others hibernate near their summer habitat. Disturbance and encroaching vegetation that impedes access to cave roosts pose a threat to this species. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: null value in column "" violates not-null constraint HOW TO RESOLVE: Enter missing required data based on the template's header rows—the third row indicates 'required' status by field, and the second row lists data type restrictions. Ensure each record includes values for all required fields before re-uploading. ADDED EXPLANATION: Surveys must include key fields that answer the "where, what, when, and who" questions: either a GRTS Cell ID or latitude/longitude to locate the survey, a Site Name to describe the place, survey start and end times, and the names of surveyors. Each survey type may also require a few additional fields. If required columns are missing entirely, the upload wizard will block the file. If required columns are present but individual rows lack values, those rows will be flagged while the rest of the file can load. Use the template's informational header rows to identify which fields are required and ensure each data entry row contains values for these fields before uploading.