Among nature's most misunderstood creatures. by Steve Werblow Among nature's most misunderstood creatures, bats are amazing fliers, caring mothers, and a remarkable ally to farmers and gardeners. Swooping, cornering, and scooping up flying insects in the air, bats eat mosquitoes, midges, thrips, whiteflies, beetles, and a wide range of moths, including crop pests like cutworms and corn earworms. A single bat can consume two-thirds of its body weight in insects every night.