First the bees, now the bats. I was very saddened to hear about the outbreak of illness in bats in New York and Vermont. Just as with the bees, it is unknown what is causing the bats to sicken and die, only that whatever it is, it’s spreading. The afflicted bats early on develop what is called ‘white nose’, a white ring of fungus around the nose, before getting worse and dying. Cavers are being discouraged from entering caves in the region, in case humans are unwittingly helping to spread the illness.

Tags: bats, caves, dying, New York, vermont