Researchers in Highlands, North Carolina, are racing to save tricolored bats from white‑nose syndrome inside an 1800s goldmine about 20 feet underground. The fungal infection causes bats to rouse during hibernation, burning fat reserves as they search for insects that aren’t available and leading to starvation. Biologists are testing a low‑tech fix: placing bright, insect‑attracting lights about a tennis‑court away from caves to help bats bulk up before winter. The disease, first seen in the early 2000s, drove some species’ populations down by over 90% by 2018.
Scientists Test Bright Lights to 'Fatten' North Carolina Bats Before Hibernation
Researchers in Highlands, North Carolina, are racing to save tricolored bats from white‑nose syndrome inside an 1800s goldmine about 20 feet underground. The fungal infection causes bats to rouse during hibernation, burning fat reserves as they search for insects that aren’t available and leading to starvation. Biologists are testing a low‑tech fix: placing bright, insect‑attracting lights about a tennis‑court away from caves to help bats bulk up before winter. The disease, first seen in the early 2000s, drove some species’ populations down by over 90% by 2018.
11:31 AM, 11/16/2025Environment
Highlands, North Carolina — Racing to Save Bats from White‑Nose Syndrome
About 20 feet below the surface inside an 1800s goldmine in Highlands, researchers are scrambling to protect a dwindling colony of tricolored bats threatened by white‑nose syndrome. These bats play a vital role in local ecosystems and agriculture by eating insect pests; their decline can lead to increased pesticide use.
The threat: White‑nose syndrome is a highly infectious fungal disease that damages bat tissue and wings. During hibernation the infection causes itching and frequent arousals, forcing bats to wake and search for food that is not available in winter. The repeated activity burns fat reserves and often results in starvation.
The people on the ground: Rada Petrick, research assistant professor of biology at the University of North Carolina and director of the UNC Institute for the Environment Highlands Field Site; Lindsey Zarecky, vice president for conservation and research at the Greensboro Science Center; and Olivia Munzer, conservation coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, are among the biologists monitoring the site and testing interventions.
"As bat populations are declining, we see that there's a greater need for use of pesticides," Petrick said. "How about if we fatten the bats enough, right before they go into hibernation, that it increases the likelihood of them surviving the winter."
A low‑tech experiment: To help bats build fat stores before hibernation, biologists are testing a simple tactic: placing bright, insect‑attracting lights roughly the distance of a tennis court from bat caves to draw prey closer to where bats forage. The goal is to increase feeding opportunities in the weeks before hibernation so bats enter the winter with larger energy reserves.
Field teams carry out counts to track how many bats remain and to monitor whether the added food availability improves survival. Early results are tentative, and researchers emphasize patience and careful monitoring as they assess whether the method helps bats persist despite the fungus.
Context: White‑nose syndrome was first detected in North America in the early 2000s. According to the National Park Service and a 2021 study, by 2018 populations of three species — little brown bats, northern long‑eared bats and tricolored bats — had declined by more than 90% across parts of the continent.
While the light strategy is experimental and not a cure, it represents a practical, low‑cost attempt to buy vulnerable populations time while scientists continue to search for treatments and broader conservation solutions.