Bats of Southwest Florida

Bats live in many different habitats across Florida. They can be found in dry, upland pine forests, in the hardwood forests along the banks of rivers, and most habitats in-between. You can probably even find them flying around in your neighborhood!

For bats, one of the most important parts of their habitat is a place to roost. In Florida, natural roosting sites can be caves, in cracks, crevices or hollows of trees, under dead fronds of palm trees, and in Spanish moss.

Bats also use man made structures including buildings, bridges, culverts, tile roofs and bat houses. Come here Allyson Webb talk about these interesting creatures.

Allyson is the Senior Resource Manager for Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Panther Island; she is one of the few women in this field. Panther Island is currently being managed by Allyson and her staff in order to maintain the restoration success criteria established by the mitigation permit.

Allyson attended Texas A&M University in her home state where she received a BA in Biology and Minor in Chemistry, and developed a passion for Bats. After college, she joined Peace Corps and was stationed in Haiti for two years. Upon returning to the US, Allyson moved to Estero, FL. Looking to learn more and gain experience in the environmental field, she became a resource management volunteer at Corkscrew in June of 2004. Just three short years later, Allyson joined the full-time staff as Resource Manager for Corkscrew's Panther Island Mitigation Bank. Allyson is the National Audubon Society Representative for the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and the Florida Bat Working Group, and a Member of Southwest Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas).