Watch The Bats

Watching a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge is quite an experience. During emergence, the bats spiral upwards in a counter-clockwise direction to gain altitude. Aerial predators, such as red-tailed hawks, sometimes catch bats as they emerge. Terrestrial predators, such as raccoons, feed on fallen bats. The bats can travel as high as 10,000 feet and as far as 60 miles each night to feed on agricultural pests such as the corn earworm (a.k.a. cotton bollworm), cutworm and webworm moths. Each bat can eat its weight in insects nightly. The Old Tunnel colony may devour over 25 tons of moths per night! https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/old-tunnel/bat-viewing