Kolar Bats are nature’s pest controllers, finds OU study
A study by Osmania University researchers found that four species of leaf-nosed bats in Karnataka act as natural pest controllers. DNA analysis of their droppings revealed they consume large quantities of agricultural pests and disease-carrying insects.
Why it matters
The findings highlight the ecological and economic value of bat populations in supporting sustainable agriculture and public health.
Researchers from Osmania University have used faecal DNA metabarcoding to study the diet of bats, identifying their role in controlling insect populations that affect agriculture and public health.
The study analysed faecal pellets collected from four species of leaf-nosed bats — Kolar Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros hypophyllus), Hipposideros durgadasi, Hipposideros fulvus and Hipposideros speoris — sharing a cave at Hanumanahalli in Kolar district, Karnataka.
According to researchers Chelmala Srinivasulu, head, Wildlife Biology and Taxonomy Lab at Osmania University; lead and co-author Srinivasulu, B. and A. Srinivasulu, the samples were collected from bats returning to the roost after their first feeding bout across three seasons between 2021 and 2022. DNA analysis identified 7,309 Operational Taxonomic Units belonging to the phylum Arthropoda.
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