WNS poses an unprecedented threat to our nation's bats. The disease has killed over five million bats since its discovery in 2006. WNS has spread to 19 states and four Canadian provinces, and has affected nine bat species. Scientists believe the disease, if unabated, will lead to regional extinctions of the little brown bat - one of North America's most common bat species - within 15 years.
The loss of bats from WNS will have severe implications for our economy and our environment. Bats are primary predators of night-flying insects, including expensive agricultural pests that damage corn, soybean, cotton and other crops. By consuming these insects, bats reduce the need for chemical pesticides and lower food-production costs, saving U.S. farmers $3.7 to $53 billion a year.
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