Bracken Cave, off FM 3009 in southern Comal County, is home to approximately 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats. Every summer evening they vortex out into the sky in search of insects to eat. The emergence of the mammals lasts for hours. During its summer stay in South Central Texas, the Bracken colony nightly eats tons of insects, including mosquitoes, providing natural pest control for farmers as well as city dwellers, while pollinating plants and spreading seeds.
Until earlier this month, the public did not have access to the site. But now, there are egular tours five nights a week for people to experience the phenomenon up-close, at $24.99 per person. The evening bat tour, limited to 60 people per day, begins with an interpretive talk at nearby Natural Bridge Caverns, followed by a short hike to Bracken Cave to see the bats emerge.
Visiting San Antonio this summer? Now you have another reason to come!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
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