By Guest Author Linda Bailey
Instead of spending money on expensive and toxic pesticides to keep your garden free of insects, why not use the power of nature? Various subspecies of bats, such as the brown bat and colonial bat, feed mainly on flying insects, including mosquitoes. According to the Texas Mosquito Control Association, a single bat is able to consume anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 insects in a single night depending on the size of the bug. Why not employ these flying mammals to guard your garden and patio by installing a bat box?
Dispelling Myths about Bats
Bats are not aggressive. Many people fear bats because of misconceptions about their nature. These flying mammals are dark-colored and are nocturnal, which makes them very difficult to see clearly at night. Aside from the bats that feed on small rodents, fruits, and nectar, many of them sustain themselves on insects – not humans. While there may have been a few instances of a bat accidentally flying into a person, the chances are it was hunting prey and simply didn’t realize the individual was in the way.
Bats don’t like your hair. One of the most widespread myths of bats is the inevitable, “it got caught in my hair.” The actual instances of bats being caught in a person’s hair have been too minuscule to even take notice. As bats can make course corrections in mid-flight at extreme speeds, they can usually avoid obstacles such as your head. However, it’s possible that one may make a wrong turn and accidentally smack into you. If this happens, don’t panic as the bat will more than likely make its way back into the night immediately.
Very few bats carry rabies. According to BatWorld.org, less than one percent of some 1,100 species of bats actually contract rabies. Although this disease can cause animals to become extremely violent and deadly, you have better odds of winning the lottery than being bitten by a rabid bat, especially if you do not handle grounded and obviously ill animals.
Buy on Amazon: Woodlink NABAT Audubon Bat ShelterWhat is a Bat Box?
The bat box is designed to mimic the area between a tree and its bark, or any other dark and secluded spot. Depending on the size of the bat box, it can house anywhere from a few small bats to a squadron of nightly insect hunting allies that can keep many bugs at bay, including mosquitoes.
Download plans to build a bat box here.
Bat boxes are usually relatively thin with grooves cut along the outer tongue of the opening to allow bats to easily crawl up into the structure. As bats prefer tight and warm places, many bat boxes are painted with dark colors in order to absorb as much sunlight as possible.
(more on myths about bats can be found at BAT Conservation International)
Bat Box Materials
Bat boxes can be built with outdoor grade plywood. If you wish to stain the box, use a water-based stain, as you don’t want to make the living environment toxic for your squadron of bug killers. You’ll also want to seal the edges of the box with caulk, to prevent heat from escaping during cold winter months. Some designs of bat boxes include insulation material to keep the box as warm as possible.
Where to hang your bat box
The south side of your home is an ideal location to hang a bat box, as there is more exposure to the sun – at least for those of you living in the Northern Hemisphere. Hang your bat box at least ten feet in the air, as bats don’t want to be low to the ground where they can be attacked by predators or disturbed by humans. This height also helps to provide warmth during the day by taking advantage of direct sunlight.
Bats need water
Like any other animal, bats need water to survive and will usually choose to live in areas that are close to a water supply. While some may suggest placing a birdbath near the bat box, it’s rare that you’ll find a bat drinking from such a convenience. However, rural property owners have seen bats drinking from large horse troughs and nearby ponds. Although it may not hurt to place a birdbath nearby, don’t be discouraged if your bats don’t partake, because the bath may be too small for them to notice.
Between the bugs that annoy and prey on you when gardening, to those that are destructive to your plant life, bats can help keep insects under control in your yard. Don’t let fear and myth dissuade you from encouraging a declining species to nest near your home.
Author Bio: Linda Bailey is a Texas-based writer who loves to write on the topics of housekeeping, green living, and home décor at housekeeping.org. She welcomes your comments which can be sent to [email protected].