Though plagued by bats in my house, I still love the little web-winged critters. And even if I were anti-bat (hi, Jeremy!), I’d still be saddened by this news of a massive bat die-off in the American Northeast:

For more than four months, perplexed scientists have struggled to understand why upwards of a half-million bats may be at risk of dying in the dark caves and mines of Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and New York. Last year, thousands of dead bats were found in four caves within 7 miles of one another. This year, at least 25 caves and mines spread across 135 miles were found to have sick or dying bats. Homeowners from Hanover, N.H., to East Canaan in northwest Connecticut have reported dead bats on lawns, decks, and roofs, a sign the animals might be affected in an even wider area. But so far, no one has found an infectious agent or any other cause.

Is it a sign of our times that a lack of bats is even more creepy than a bat invasion?