International Bat Appreciation Day

During my last volunteer shift at the Butterfly Pavilion, I learned about one of nature’s coolest partnerships: the clever Hardwicke’s woolly bat (Kerivoula hardwickii) bat and carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes sp.)

These plants don’t just trap insects—they double as five-star daytime roosts.

Instead of becoming lunch, these bats check in.

The plant’s pitcher doubles as a cozy, parasite-free crash pad where the bats curl up for the day—snugly perched just above a pool of digestive fluid that’s busy dissolving unlucky insects below.

And the rent? Let’s just say it’s… organic.

In nutrient-poor environments where nitrogen is scarce, the plant happily relies on its bat guest’s guano as a much-needed fertilizer. The bat gets a safe nap spot, and the plant serving as a Bat “B & B” gets nutrients—it’s a win-win lease agreement.

Learn more about the Hardwicke’s woolly bat (Kerivoula hardwickii) at Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation website.