Scientists and wildlife experts warned Congress Thursday that white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that is killing bats in alarming numbers, is spreading throughout the Northeast.

The disease, first noted two years ago in a cave 40 miles west of Albany, is now affecting bats in nine states, including New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia.

“To date it has killed between 500,000 to 1 million bats, mostly common species. But what has wildlife officials concerned is the fungus looks to be on the verge of entering the Southeast and Midwest, where some of the most endangered and largest populations of bats live. The fungus is known to occur in caves used by the Virginia big-eared bat, which has a population of only 20,000,” the Associated Press reported.

The fungus, named for the white ring seen on affected bats’ noses, weakens bats during hibernation, making them lose weight and the strength they need to start flying again in spring. Researchers told Congress of going into caves where thousands of bats were known to hibernate, and finding only a few dozen.

The problem is that bats feed on mosquitoes, blackflies, gnats and other flying insects, eating half its body weight in insects a night. By controlling insect populations, bats also control the spread of insect-borne diseases.

Scientists in New Jersey fear that 95 percent of the state's bats died over the winter as a result of the fungus, the Newark, N.J,. Star-Ledger newspaper reported. The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is seeking volunteers to count bats in the state this summer, in an attempt to find out how big the problem is.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has more information on its Northeast Region page. You can read more here.

You can read a story the Gazette wrote on the subject in September here.