Things are getting batty this summer at the Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles County. Every June and August, bat scientists at the museum collaborate with LA County residents to count those small winged mammals that emerge from roost sites at dusk.
The project leader is Miguel Ordeñana, senior manager of community science at the NHM. He says, “LA is this big blind spot … as far as the location and our knowledge of bats. So [the] only way to do it and to do it right is to involve community members who live near these roosts and have to share space with these bats and get them involved in the research.”
Ordeñana’s project focuses mainly on freeway bridges. Bats huddle together underneath the crevices of these bridges to rest during the day. Around dusk, the NHM teams count the bats that emerge to look for food.
He adds, “I've been in places all over the LA area in atypical situations, like at a football game or a Dodgers game – and now I'm more aware of bats flying around, eating moths attracted to the stadium lights. … Hopefully, this experience allows people to see their neighborhoods differently and give them a more enriched experience throughout LA … as they are more aware of nature all around them, regardless of where they're living and what they're doing.”
Two roost counts are happening on August 12 and 13. You can sign up to get involved here.