The little brown bat is one of Colorado’s secret heroes. Small in stature but mighty in appetite, a single bat can eat thousands of insects each night. And metric tons each year. Not only does that control insect populations, but it also protects crops. 18 bat species call Colorado home. Some live here year-round, while others only migrate through the state. Though often misunderstood, bats play a valuable role in ecosystems across Colorado. In fact, they are found in every habitat in the state, from western deserts and high mountain forests to the flat, eastern plains. Look carefully and you can even find them hanging out in downtown Denver. Benefits follow bats wherever they go, including the cave environments they roost in, due to the energy they bring to these mostly closed systems in the form of guano. There’s still much to learn about bats, which is why we continue to research and monitor bat populations. The little brown bat’s impact on our environment is truly enormous.