To Battle Brooklyn Mosquitoes, Provide Bat Condos!

Pardon me for asking, dear reader, but doesn't it seem that there are more mosquitoes swarming around than ever before? Every time I have gone out lately, I have been attacked by swarms of those blood-sucking insects. The problem does not seem to be confined to dusk anymore, when mosquitoes usually come out to feast. The other day, I was in the garden in broad sunlight. Would you agree that the problem has become worse every summer? I know what you will ask me now, and the answer is: no. There is no standing water in my yard. Just little creatures buzzing 'bout my ankles.
So, I was pretty excited to see that someone in the neighborhood had installed a 'bat house' in their garden. Why? Well, bats eat lots of insects, including mosquitoes. Neat! I am all for it. The wooden 'condo' just went up, so I have not yet seen it being used by bats. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know. The bat homes are available for $45 at the Organization For Bat Conservation. That seems a lot cheaper than bug spray. Don't you think?

From the Organization For Bat Conservation

Bats are extremely important. Yet due to years of unwarranted human fear and persecution, bats are in alarming decline. By putting up a bat house you are helping by giving them a home. You will also benefit from having fewer yard and garden pests, and will enjoy learning about bats and sharing your knowledge with friends and family.

As the primary predators of night-flying insects, bats play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature. And, as consumers of vast numbers of pests, they rank among humanity’s most valuable allies. A single little brown bat can catch hundreds of mosquito-sized insects an hour, and a typical colony of big brown bats can protect local farmers from the costly attacks of 18 million root-worms each summer.

Bats are not blind, and are actually very clean animals. They do not get caught in peoples’ hair or chew through the attic of your house. Bats will not interfere with feeding backyard birds, and they will not be disrupted by pets or children.

Throughout the northern two-thirds of the U.S. and Canada, the Little Brown Bat (Myotis launchings) and the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) use bat houses. They can also inhabit the Southeast, but are generally replaced by the South-eastern Bat (Myotis Australia). Pallid Bats (Antrozous pallidus) are found in arid areas. The Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis), Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) and the Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) will also use bat houses. Any bats that roost in crevices or under bridges and in buildings are likely tenants for bat houses.

Links To this Post:
New York Times: Same Bat Time, Same Bat Condo



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