The mysterious world of bats will come alive next month during Bats at the Bridge 2025, a free public program hosted by the Museum of the Grand Prairie at the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve. The event will take place on September 12, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m.

Did you know that a single Illinois bat can consume up to 3,000 insects in a single night? Visitors to this special program will discover fascinating facts like these while learning why bats play such a vital ecological role in Illinois’ ecosystems.

The evening will begin indoors at the museum with a presentation on bat biology, conservation, and the latest local research. Following the talk, participants will take a short walk to the historic Covered Bridge to search for resident bats emerging at dusk.

Special guests from the Illinois Bat Conservation Program, led by scientists at the Illinois Natural History Survey, will demonstrate advanced acoustic monitoring tools that pick up bat calls too high-pitched for human ears.

The program is free and open to all ages, with no registration required.