(AP) — Bats tend to get a bad reputation in scary movies, but at least one professor is watching out for bats in Nebraska and wants to find where they hang out.

University of Nebraska at Kearney associate professor Keith Geluso says bats play an important role in the state by devouring mosquitoes and several insect pests that can damage crops.

Geluso says the bat population on the East Coast is dwindling because of a fungus that disrupts the animals’ hibernation. If the fungus keeps spreading west, it could reach Nebraska.

Geluso is asking for help identifying locations where five or more bats roost in the state, so he can track populations. Locations of bat roosts can be emailed to [email protected].