Bats as pest-fighting pioneers: Seasonal contributions in South China’s mountainous agroecosystem

In the mountainous agroecosystems of South China, bats are key biological control agents, yet their seasonal pest control roles in these complex landscapes remain understudied. Using DNA metabarcoding, we investigated the foraging dynamics, quantified pest control capabilities, and evaluated host plant protection of Rhinolophus sinicus and R. pearsonii in South China’s Zhangjiangyuan Nature Reserve from May to September 2023 within mountainous agroecosystems. Both species exhibited dynamic seasonal dietary shifts, expanding their prey range in spring and autumn while targeting key pest orders in summer. The results show that the two dominant species in the study area collectively prey on at least 325 species of pests associated with 204 plant genera, including those that cause significant damage to crops such as Helicoverpa armigera . From May to September, the two bat species (with relative colony activity ranging from approximately 1000–3500) consumed 7.73–21.30 kg of pests per night. The predation peaked in August, with an average nightly consumption of 21.30 kg of pests. The findings demonstrate that the predatory impact of bats on pest insects substantially outweighs their consumption of beneficial insects, suggesting the potential role of bats in pest control. The study provides basic data for pest management in montane agroecosystems, highlighting the urgent need to conserve bat populations to sustain these ecological services.