Bat Houses – The Importance Of Bat Conservation
Bats are mammals that fly. Masked with a mysterious reputation because of myths and folklore, the bat is a fascinating animal. They will eat their weight in flying insects such as mosquitoes every night. Unfortunately their populations are quickly diminishing because of the increase of urban areas. We can help restore their numbers through bat conservation and the building of bat houses.
Throughout time people have found how beneficial bats can be. These flying mammals have existed since the age of the dinosaurs. There are many species of bats and come in many sizes. The smallest is the Cuban Bat which weighs in at slightly over two grams. The largest bat, the Indian Fox Bat with a wingspan of six feet, can be found in Asia and Australia.
Bats have been maligned for centuries. Often reviled and victimized they have been unfairly miscast through myths and associations with Halloween and witches. Bats are wild animals and are likely to bite in self defense but they are good neighbors to have around and are actually very clean animals. Besides their ability to consume large quantities of insects they play a very important role in keeping the balance of nature in order and aid in seed dispersal. Many cultures see the bat as either sacred or good luck.
By building bat houses we can help bring back the diminishing bat populations and at the same time learn more about these amazing creatures. Bat houses can be built or can be bought from many garden stores or online websites. A bat house looks much like a bird house except that they are longer and narrower with an opening at the bottom. They can be mounted on poles or attached to existing structures. Houses placed in trees tend to be less likely to be populated however.
They don’t necessarily need to be large to be beneficial, but houses with multiple chambers are generally more successful at attracting bats than single-chamber houses. Multi-chambered houses provide a living space with a variety of temperatures that allow the bats to select the conditions most comfortable for them. Bats like it dark inside their houses so it’s important to stain all inside parts a dark color. Interior surfaces should be notched every half inch to provide the clinging surface bat’s require.
Most houses used by bats are occupied in the first six months. But not all bat houses are built properly. Short and stout houses tend to have little chance of attracting bats, where longer, wider houses can work quite well. Most often bat houses fail because of poor design, poor construction or poor placement.
Bat houses have been used throughout the world but are fairly new to America. Having a bat house near a home can help control an annoying insect population. They are a simple and economical solution for bat conservation. By building a bat house we can help protect our environment.
Besides home made ideas, there is no proven scientific way of attracting bats to a bat house. Where the bat house is placed, its size and dimensions are the important points to keep in mind for attracting bats. The best locations are either attached to a pole or a building. Bat houses placed in trees have less chance of success because tree bats are mostly loners.
