If you’re like most people, then even the mere thought of unexpectedly encountering a bat, say in your barn or garage, is an upending prospect almost guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine. For some reason, bats are downright spooky. But setting out to purposely wait for them to emerge from their daytime roost as the sun goes down is entirely different. You know you’ll see bats and that knowledge, somehow, makes it not only alright, but also a bit of a thrill.
If you’ve never attended a bat watch event in South Carolina, then get ready because one is coming up in honor of Halloween.
Flickr/Warren Smart
If you’ve ever driven down Main Street in Travelers Rest, or walked the Swamp Rabbit Trail alongside Main Street, then you’ve unknowingly walked right by some daytime roosts that are found on the warehouse building right behind Sunrift Adventures.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
Sunrift is part of a citizen SC Bat Watch group that’s dedicated to bat preservation. In fact, they have several bat boxes affixed just under the roof line on the back side of their big warehouse at the rear of their property.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
And twice each year, they gather bat enthusiasts (as well as bat-curious folks) who assemble on the lawn beneath the bat boxes in order to get an accurate count.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures The SC Bat Watch is a program of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is designed to help the bat biologists at SCDNR find and count the bat populations in South Carolina communities.
In just 10 days, on October 25, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. sharp, Sunrift Adventures will conduct their second official count of the year. And you’re invited to this special Halloween count where you’ll find activities for the kids, some helpful bat info, and a whole lot of bat enthusiasm.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
You’ll get information materials about issues plaguing the SC bat population, as well as information on the 14 species of bats found in the Palmetto State.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures There are more than 1,200 species worldwide. Of the 14 found in South Carolina, 11 of them are known to form female maternal colonies where they roost during the day in man-made enclosures, like the boxes found at Sunrift.
At dusk, the hundreds of bats living in the maternal colonies found inside the bat boxes at Sunrift will begin to emerge. The pale gray side of the warehouse is an ideal backdrop to see and count them as they fly away in search of food.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
What do they eat? Well, for starters, many bats take care of the mosquitoes in the area as well as other pesky insects like beetles that destroy flowers and crops on the regular. Other bats eat fruit.
Flickr/Katja Schulz
We can’t think of a more spooky and fun Halloween excursion for kids (and kids at heart) than to attend a Bat Watch. Can you?
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
If you’re interested in counting the bats and don’t have a manual clicker for counting, then check your smartphone’s app store for a digital counter. Or… just show up and enjoy watching the bats take flight into the night.
Photo: winyuu / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
Think you may want to install your own bat box at your place? There will be a bat box raffle at the event!
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures And even if you don’t win, you can still find out more about where to buy your own bat box.
The Halloween Bat Watch at Sunrift Adventures begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25, 2019.
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
Learn more about the SC Batch Watch from this link from SCDNR, and find out more about the Halloween bat count at Sunrift at this link. The event is free and open to the public.
Flickr/Warren Smart
Facebook/Sunrift Adventures
The SC Bat Watch is a program of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is designed to help the bat biologists at SCDNR find and count the bat populations in South Carolina communities.
There are more than 1,200 species worldwide. Of the 14 found in South Carolina, 11 of them are known to form female maternal colonies where they roost during the day in man-made enclosures, like the boxes found at Sunrift.
Flickr/Katja Schulz
Photo: winyuu / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
And even if you don’t win, you can still find out more about where to buy your own bat box.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: 1 Center St, Travelers Rest, SC 29690, USA
