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Economic value of the pest control service provided by Brazilian free‐tailed bats in south‐central Texas
Author(s) -
Cleveland Cutler J.,
Betke Margrit,
Federico Paula,
Frank Jeff D.,
Hallam Thomas G.,
Horn Jason,
López Juan D.,
McCracken Gary F.,
Medellín Rodrigo A.,
Moreno-Valdez Arnulfo,
Sansone Chris G.,
Westbrook John K.,
Kunz Thomas H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1890/1540-9295(2006)004[0238:evotpc]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - pest analysis , helicoverpa zea , predation , pest control , cave , geography , range (aeronautics) , biology , bollworm , agriculture , ecology , agroforestry , agronomy , forestry , larva , horticulture , materials science , noctuidae , composite material
Brazilian free‐tailed bats ( Tadarida brasiliensis ) form enormous summer breeding colonies, mostly in caves and under bridges, in south‐central Texas and northern Mexico. Their prey includes several species of adult insects whose larvae are known to be important agricultural pests, including the corn earworm or cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa zea ). We estimate the bats' value as pest control for cotton production in an eight‐county region in south‐central Texas. Our calculations show an annual value of $741 000 per year, with a range of $121 000–$1 725 000, compared to a $4.6–$6.4 million per year annual cotton harvest.