RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is celebrating Bat Week until Oct. 31 with a guide to Virginia's bats, stickers and more. The DWR took to Facebook earlier this week to highlight its collection of bat-themed merchandise, with donations set to support habita t restoration through the department's Restore the Wild program. According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Bat Week runs from Oct. 24 to 31 each year to celebrate bats, encourage conservation and highlight the role the animals play in ecosystems around the world. Virginia is home to 17 species of bats, according to the DWR. Of those, three species are considered Federally Endangered and one is listed as State Endangered. RELATED LIST: 5 bat species found in Virginia Habitat loss is a continued threat to bat populations, which help to control insect populations and pollinate plants, according to the DCR. A Virginia big-eared bat, Virginia's official state bat. (Photo: U.S. Fish Wildlife Services) The Virginia big-eared bat was declared Virginia's official state bat in 2005. To learn more about it and other bat species in Virginia and celebrate Bat Week, visit the DWR website. ...read more read less