Today is the last day of bat appreciation week and also Halloween! It seems appropriate that I write about something scary. Northern...

Bats make great neighbors. They amaze us with their nightly acrobatic displays while gobbling up thousands of flying insects -- all for free! But they need safe places to sleep during the day, suitable roosts to raise their young, and cool, protected spots to hibernate in the winter. Unfortunately due to our ever-expanding development, bats have lost many of the forests, caves and other natural areas that they have used for shelter. But some bats have found alternative roosts

White-nose syndrome, Tricolored bat. Photo by Karen Slote Plants are not the only type of invasive species easily transported in our...