Bats of Israel

To date, thirty-three species of Israeli bats have been identified, of which 32 are insectivorous bats.

The largest bat hibernation site in Israel is the Twins Cave near Beit Shemesh.

One-third of the species of bats of Israel are found in the Jordan Valley region, with many inhabiting abandoned Israeli military outposts along the border with Jordan.

Beginning in the 1950s, bat caves in Israel were routinely fumigated to reduce the number of fruit bats in the country. As the population of fruit bats declined, so did that of other bat species. Consequently, the number of noctuid moths soared, resulting in extensive damage to crops.

Bat caves
The largest bat hibernation site in Israel is the Twins Cave, south of Beit Shemesh. The cave is a karstic formation measuring 50m x 70m and takes its name from a local Arab legend about a woman who drank from a spring in the cave and subsequently gave birth to a pair of twins. The cave forms part of the Twins Cave Nature Reserve.

Fruit bats

 * Rousettus aegyptiacus