August’s Record of the Month goes to Marlo Perdicas’ report of a Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus). This record is significant for several reasons. First, bats are just cool. From their incredible ability to fly, to the ecosystem services they provide by eating countless insects, to their intricate social behavior – they’re just cool. Second, they are disappearing at an unprecedented rate. White-Nose Syndrome, responsible for the deaths of millions of bats, has spread to at least 25 states and 5 Canadian provinces. Emerging diseases are one of the biggest threats to wildlife today. You can help slow the spread of this and other wildlife diseases (such as Chytridiomycosis that affects amphibians) by cleaning your boots and hiking staffs between sites and never moving wildlife from one site to another. These measures will also help prevent the spread of exotic species – another serious threat to local biota.

You can view August’s Record of the Month at:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1858267