Bats

I'm unaware as to how much coverage this has been getting, since I don't watch much television, but multitudes of bats are dying off in the North Eastern United States. They're succumbing to a disease known as White Nose Syndrome, a disease that scientists know nearly nothing about.

The three main species of bat effected by the disease are the little brown bat (the bats we see frequently flying and eating mosquitoes in the summer and that nest behind shutters), the Northern Long Eared bat and the already endangered Indiana bat.

Bats are some of the creatures I love the most, second only to the elephant. Throughout history, bats have been revered as well as feared. Creatures of luck, transformation, happiness and thanks largely to Bram Stoker, nightmares. As creatures special to me, particularly the little brown bat who I've grown up with, their plight has been breaking my heart. After I read this article I was depressed and needed an emotional outlet.

So I gathered my supplies and created this shrine to bats, featuring the three species mentioned above. I blended herbs and stones and poured my love and hope for their survival into my work.

Herbs:
Lavendar: Protection, Healing and Peace.
Sage: Longevity, Fertility and Protection.
Star Anise: Protection.
Thistle: Strength, Protection and Healing.

Stones:
Petrified Wood: Longevity, Protection and Healing.
Rose Quartz: Love and Healing.

My shrine will be hung above my altar and I will be saying a few words for my winged friends during my Lammas ritual.



Edited to Add: I received a very polite email from a woman over on the World Bat Line list serve informing me that my long eared bat is mislabeled and in actuallity is a Pallid bat, who also possesses long ears. This is what I get for using Google to locate information and then picking the photo in the correct positioning for my needs, instead of cross referencing. Sentiment remains unchanged though. :)