Pesky mosquitoes keeping you indoors in the evenings? Are moths driving you mad flapping against the screen door? Before you head out to buy chemical insecticides for controlling your summer insect problem, try a greener solution. Bats!
These flying mammals are nature’s antidote to night-flying insects. They eat half of their weight in bugs every night, when mosquitoes are most active! And bats can easily be attracted to your yard if you offer them shelter, not in your house, but in their own--a bat house.
What Is a Bat House?
Bat houses are inexpensive rectangular wooden boxes especially made to make bats feel at home. The house typically contains two or three vertical dividers, creating narrow rooms, within. You can purchase a bat house at most home and garden stores, online, or even make a bat house yourself.
Although there are very elaborate, beautiful bat houses available, bats don’t require fancy digs. An unvarnished wooden bat box will do fine. The wood inside the box actually needs to be a bit rough, in order for the little guys to hang on while they roost upside down. Taller bat houses (25” or more) do a better job of attracting bats than do the smaller versions.
Where to Place Your Bat House
Bats prefer natural, wooded settings, being close to water, and having loads of insects to eat. They are more likely to inhabit bat houses in rural rather than urban areas. A neighborhood with many mature trees is ideal.
Select a location for your bat house that is sheltered from the wind, with a southern exposure to catch the warm sunlight. The house should be placed about 10 – 15 feet off the ground with nothing blocking the entrance at the bottom.
How to Hang Your Bat House
Most bat houses are very easy to mount, with a keyhole-shaped opening in the back that will slide on a single nail. So you will only need a hammer, large nail, extension ladder and a willing assistant to hand you the bat house once the nail is in place.
When Will Bats Move In?
Try not to be discouraged if you don’t see bats moving in right away. Hosting bats requires a bit of patience. Sometimes it can takes up to two years for bats to be attracted to a new house. But the wait will be worth it, once the biting insects begin to disappear!
Want to learn more about bats? See the website of Bat Conservation International as well as their Bat House Project document on attracting bats.
