By day, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden buzzes with life, a wild tangle of blooms and winding trails made for getting lost in. But when the sun dips low and the human crowds thin, a different kind of party kicks off — and it's strictly invitation-only.
Turns out, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden isn’t just a feast for the eyes. According to a recent release, it’s become the premier hotspot for bats in North Texas.
Thanks to a recent study spearheaded by the Cross Timbers Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, the North American Bat Monitoring Program, and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), researchers have confirmed that the Garden hosts more bat species than anywhere else surveyed in Tarrant and Parker counties. While other beloved green spaces — like the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge and Tandy Hills Natural Area — typically play host to one or two bat species, the Botanic Garden is pulling a crowd of at least five.
Armed with high-tech eavesdropping gear that records the high-pitched chirps and clicks bats use to hunt and socialize, researchers found a veritable who's-who of Texas bats making the Garden their home.
Leading the pack is the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat, the state’s unofficial mascot — a gregarious little flyer famous for its acrobatic swoops and huge summer colonies. Close behind is the Evening Bat, always first in line when the night’s buffet of insects opens. There's also the Tricolored Bat, a tiny furball sporting a fashionable tri-toned coat, and two special guests — the scarlet-tinted Eastern Red Bat and the salt-and-pepper Hoary Bat — whose formal identifications are still pending.
Among them, the Tricolored Bat deserves a little extra love. Struggling with white-nose syndrome, a devastating fungal disease, this delicate species may soon earn a spot on the U.S. endangered species list — a reminder that even the smallest Garden guests need our protection.
It’s easy to overlook bats — they don’t sing at dawn or dazzle with bright colors — but make no mistake: they’re punching way above their weight.
Every night, these flying pest-control experts chow down on mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and other insects by the thousands, saving American farmers billions of dollars in crop damage and pesticide costs. Next time you enjoy an evening without a swarm of mosquitoes, you can thank a bat.
They're also the graveyard shift's greatest pollinators. While bees call it quits at sundown, bats get to work fertilizing over 500 plant species globally — everything from the cacti of the Chihuahuan Desert to the agave plants that bring us tequila. Even some plants in Texas, like the century plant, have evolved night-blooming flowers and strong scents to court their furry pollinators.
And that’s not all: Bats are nature’s gardeners, too. Their guano — rich in seeds and nutrients — helps replant forests after disturbances. One bat colony can spread millions of seeds in a year, quietly helping to heal the land while most of us are asleep.
Yet, despite their many talents, bats are facing hard times. Urban sprawl, habitat destruction, pesticides, and disease are whittling down bat populations nationwide.
"Despite their superhero status in the ecosystem, bats are facing some serious villains in habitat loss and disease," said Ashley Bales, Herbarium Collections Manager for BRIT and one of the researchers involved. "Finding such a diverse bat community at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden proves that urban green spaces aren't just pretty places to visit — they're lifelines for wildlife."
Want to make your own backyard bat-friendly? The Fort Worth Botanic Garden offers some handy tips:
- Plant native night-blooming flowers to create a midnight snack bar.
- Dim outdoor lighting — bats prefer natural moonlight.
- Avoid using pesticides and let bats handle the pests.
- Set up a birdbath for a quick drink.
- Install a bat house — think of it as an eco-friendly B&B.
And if you want to catch a glimpse of Fort Worth’s real night shift in action, the Garden’s leafy paths just might offer you a front-row seat. Just be sure to look up — the best show starts after dark.
For more information about the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, visit www.fwbg.org.
