Bats are the subject of much folklore and derision in human society. Some say they are vermin who carry rabies. Others equate them with the undead vampire of legend.
But Lisa Gatens, curator of mammals at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, tells a different story. Bats are helpful for a variety of reasons, including their ability to control insect populations and their essential role in pollinating certain flowers. Host Frank Stasio talks with Gatens about the bats.