They make look scary and they may sound frightening, but bats play a very important role in nature. Many of us associate bats with darkness, vampires, and disease like rabies, but it’s important to know they are vital to the circle of life on Earth. Not only do they help control the insect population, they also help plants with pollination and the distribution of seeds, which is critical for the survival of certain tropical plants.

(Pictured: Black bat. Photo by Photo by HitchHike/Pexels)

Bat week is on now until October 31st and it’s opportunity to learn more about what’s being done to conserve bats and the important work they do. In honour of bat week, the US Bureau of Land Management is holding their annual cutest bat contest. The competition is into its second week with two different bats facing off each day on the Instagram and Facebook pages of the Bureau of Land Management. All the bats have been given clever names as well, like Bat Damon, Bat’s so Raven, Robert Battinson, and Hoary Potter.

To see pictures of the various bat species and to cast your vote on which bat you think is the cutest, search for “Bureau of Land Management” on Facebook or look for “MyPublicLands” on Instagram. Votes can be cast in the comment section under each post.