AT: Bats of East Texas

Since most people associate October with spooky animals, like spiders and bats, the Piney Woods Wildlife Society will be talking Bats of East Texas for the program on October 18. Are bats blind? How much does a bat weigh? Why are bats good for the environment? Bat biology and behavior of the eleven species found locally will be highlighted as well as an exploration of the Waugh Drive bat colony, a look at research projects the Houston Bat Team is conducting, and the latest news about the Huntsville colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. We’ll end with best places to observe bats.
Presenter: Diana Foss

Diana Foss is a Urban Biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife. She has a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Science from Texas A&M. She has worked as a Wildlife Biologist in the Urban Wildlife Program at Texas Parks and Wildlife for 20 years. She also currently coordinates the “Houston Bat Team”, a group of community volunteers dedicated to education and research about bats. These volunteers give educational programs, weekly “Bat Chats” at Waugh Drive Bridge, and monitor bat populations in the greater Houston area. Also, Diana is a member of Texas Bat Working Group.

The October program for PWWS will be hybrid (in-person and via Zoom) on Tuesday, October 18th, at 6:30 p.m. (snacks & social time at 6:00 p.m.) at Dennis Johnston’s Big Stone Lodge. In-person attendance is encouraged.

Latest rules for bringing snacks: No homemade items for social time; however, store bought items brought by members are welcome and NO LONGER have to be individually wrapped.

The Big Stone Lodge is located in Dennis Johnston County Park at 709 Riley Fuzzel Road, Spring, Texas 77373. If you prefer to join in via Zoom, email Claire Moore at [email protected] for the link or wait for the meeting reminder email that you should receive the day before the meeting (if you currently receive the PWWS newsletters).