Two important talks on bats highlight February Wildlife Study Series

The Werner Wildlife Study Series at Casper College’s Werner Wildlife Museum will present two important talks on bats in February. The free talks will be presented by University of Wyoming students Renee Lile and Julia Yearout and will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with the first beginning at 6 p.m.

“Bats as Habitat — Exploring Parasites of Bats” will look at the often-unseen world of insect parasites that prey on bats. Ph.D. candidate Lile will first describe parasitism as a broad ecological concept and will then share preliminary data on ectoparasite diversity of bats in the Black Hills of South Dakota, according to Dalene Hodnett, director of museums.

Lile has surveyed the bats living at Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Monument, and Jewel Cave National Monument. At these locations, she has researched the bats’ population, diet, and parasites and will provide an inside look at the parasites that make bats their home. The National Park Service will use Lile’s research to make informed management decisions to aid in the conservation of regional bats.

For those unaware of cave gates and, more specifically, bat gates, Yearout’s presentation, “To Gate or Not to Gate: Rethinking a Classic Conservation Strategy for Bats,” will examine recent research offering a different perspective on bat gates.

“Gating caves has long been used in conservation to protect both the cave environments and bat populations from human disturbance,” said Yearout. Because gating affects bats and wildlife in general, Yearout will consider whether it remains an effective conservation tool. She will also provide background on caving, cave construction, how bats use the caves, and the impacts on cave environments and the bats that use them today.

A current master’s student at UW, Yearout is studying the behavioral ecology of the Townsend’s big-eared bat in Wyoming. The goal of her research is to provide information to Wyoming management agencies to enable them to make data-driven management decisions for the conservation of the Townsend’s big-eared bat moving forward.

The Werner Wildlife Study Series takes place in the Africa-Arctic Room of the Werner Wildlife Museum. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 307-235-2108.

The Werner Wildlife Museum, located off the Casper College campus at 405 E. 15th Street, is free and open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Event Summary:

• What: Werner Wildlife Study Series: Two Talks on Bats.
• When: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, starting at 6 p.m.
• Where: Africa-Arctic Room, Werner Wildlife Museum, 405 E. 15th St.
• Cost: Free and family-friendly.
• Speakers: University of Wyoming students Renee Lile and Julia Yearout.

​