Gov. Henry McMaster has proclaimed Oct. 24-31 as Bat Week in South Carolina, officially recognizing bats as an important species to the state.

As outlined in the proclamation, South Carolina is home to 14 species of bats that provide a valuable boost to farmers and others by helping to control mosquitoes and other insect pests.

The proclamation also notes the importance of “continuing federal and state efforts, including developing new public-private partnerships and increasing citizen engagement to promote the health of bat populations; increase the quality and quantity of bat roosting and foraging habitat; and restore bat populations to healthy levels” in the Palmetto State.

Did you know?

– For the first time, <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&amp;enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkxMDE1LjExNTIxNDExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MTAxNS4xMTUyMTQxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2ODAxMzQyJmVtYWlsaWQ9dGhlaXNsYW5kbmV3c0BnbWFpbC5jb20mdXNlcmlkPXRoZWlzbGFuZG5ld3NAZ21haWwuY29tJnRhcmdldGlkPSZmbD0mbXZpZD0mZXh0cmE9JiYm&amp;&amp;&amp;103&amp;&amp;&amp;http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/2019/sept/sept24_bats.php?utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=">three pregnant Northern long-eared bats were captured and released</a> by SCDNR staff on the coast.

– Bats provide an average annual pest suppression service of $115 million to South Carolina’s agricultural industry, or nearly $23 billion nationwide.

– A single bat can consume 75 mosquito-sized insects in five minutes.