NEWS RELEASE
Oct. 28, 2025
PHOENIX – Happy Bat Week! Each year from October 24–31, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) joins other conservation organizations and government agencies in celebrating the incredible contributions that bats make to our world.
Often misunderstood, feared, or cast as the villains in spooky stories, bats are actually among nature’s most important — and fascinating — creatures. From eating their weight in bugs each night to being the MVPs of the pollinator night shift, life on Earth wouldn’t be the same without these marvelous mammals.
With 29 species — including nectar-eating, scorpion-eating, and insect-eating bats — Arizona is second only to Texas in bat diversity.
“Arizona has a lot to celebrate when it comes to bats,” said Angie McIntire, AZGFD’s statewide bat specialist. “Our bats are colorful — red, yellow, even frost-tipped — and all different sizes, including the largest and smallest species found in the U.S.”
The largest species, the greater western mastiff bat, has a 21-inch wingspan and weighs as much as a C battery. The smallest, the canyon bat, has a 7-inch wingspan and weighs slightly more than a penny.
Bats have vital roles in ecosystems across Arizona, but the role of insectivore might be one of the most valuable — literally.
“Our insect-eating bats work hard every night in the summer and save billions of dollars annually in harmful pesticides,” McIntire said. “That is something to celebrate!”
Here are three ideas to celebrate Arizona’s bats this Bat Week and all year long:
1. Visit the “Phoenix Bat Cave”
Located near 38th Street and Colter, the “Phoenix Bat Cave” is technically a Maricopa County flood control structure, but it also serves as a maternity roost from about May through October for thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats. When occupied, the tunnel is a great spot to watch the bats head out for their nightly insect buffet.
Video: Phoenix Bat Cave.
2. Plan to Attend a Bat Netting
Mark your calendar! Our Wildlife Viewing Team hosts several bat netting events from May through September where attendees can get an up-close look at these cool creatures. The evening starts with a presentation on bat biology and ecology. Then, as the sun sets and the bats emerge, biologists will retrieve bats from the nets so that they can record physical data and show the bats to attendees for up-close viewing and photographs before sending them on their way into the night.
Netting events fill up fast — bookmark this page to check in the spring.
3. Be a Citizen Scientist for Bats
The Backyard Bat Project is looking for the nocturnal presence of lesser long-nosed bats at hummingbird feeders in southern Arizona and it needs citizen scientists to help gather data. Lesser long-nosed bats are nectar-eaters, so monitoring hummingbird feeders at night is a great way to learn more about their movement. Participants measure the level of fluid in the feeder at dusk and again in the early morning.
Check out the Backyard Bat Project and watch a video about a similar study in the Tucson area.
Bonus Idea: Just Go Outside!
You don’t have to leave your neighborhood to celebrate Bat Week. As the sun sets, step outside and see how long it takes you to spot your first bat — they’re out there!
Visit AZGFD’s Living with Bats page for more info.