AREA INSECTS Not all bugs are pests! Did you know adult dragonflies can eat hundreds of mosquitoes per day? Or that Minnesota has over 400 species of native bees? Peskier insects include mosquitoes, flies, and wood ticks. The number of these bugs varies greatly from year to year based on factors like rainfall, temperature, and bat and dragonfly populations. The numbers can also change based on where you are in the area and whether or not there’s a breeze that day. Tips on how to be less attractive to bugs from the MN DNR: • Dress appropriately. Wear lighter colors, loose clothing, and long sleeves if possible. • Wear a hat to protect your head and face. • Avoid wearing perfume or strongly scented products. • Keep cool—sweat attracts bugs. • Be aware. Always complete a tick check after you’ve been outdoors. • Keep water-safe bug spray on hand.
BATS Bats are important animals. Minnesota’s bats are strictly insectivores and can consume their body weight in insects each night. That’s 1,500 crop-and-forest-damaging insects eaten by a single bat every night!
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that is killing millions of bats across North America. WNS was first confirmed in Minnesota’s bats in 2016. As of 2021, the number of bats hibernating at Soudan Underground Mine and Cave outside of Ely has declined by over 90%. What you can do to help bats when visiting: • Prevent the spread of WNS by honoring cave closures and gated caves and avoiding caves and mines where bats hibernate. • Decontaminate clothing and gear according to decontamination protocols. • Do not disturb hibernating bats. • Report sick or dead bats, and groups of bats here .
LITTLE BROWN MYOTIS BATS
Source: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wns/index.html
SPRING & SUMMER GUIDE
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