You want fewer bugs in your yard, right? And you want a safe way to get rid of them without using harsh chemicals? Attracting bats to your yard is a fantastic, natural way to control pests like mosquitoes. Yes, you can attract bats, and yes, it is safe when you follow simple steps. These amazing flying mammals are top bug eaters and can greatly reduce the number of pests bothering you, especially at night.
Image Source: www.batcon.org
Why Bats Are Great Yard Helpers
Let’s talk about why having bats around is a good thing. Bats are often misunderstood creatures. People might feel scared of them. But they are really helpful animals, especially for anyone who likes spending time outdoors.
Benefits of Bats for Your Yard
Bats offer many cool benefits for people who live nearby. They are nature’s way of keeping bugs in check.
- Natural Pest Control: This is a big one! Bats eat lots of insects. Think moths, beetles, and yes, mosquitoes. They hunt at night when many pests are active.
- Mosquito Control: A single bat can eat hundreds or even thousands of insects in one night. Many of these are mosquitoes. Having bats nearby is like having a free, flying pest control service working while you sleep. This means fewer itchy bites for you and your family.
- Less Need for Sprays: Because bats eat so many bugs, you won’t need to use as many bug sprays or pesticides in your yard. This is better for you, your pets, the environment, and other helpful insects.
- Support for Organic Gardening: If you practice organic gardening, bats are your friends. Organic methods avoid harmful chemicals. This creates a healthy space where bats can find plenty to eat without getting sick from pesticides. Their droppings, called guano, are also a great natural fertilizer!
Think of bats as tiny, helpful neighbors who work the night shift keeping the bug population down.
Making Your Yard a Bat-Friendly Place
To attract bats, you need to give them three main things: shelter, food, and water. If your yard offers these things, bats are more likely to visit and maybe even stay.
Creating Bat Habitat Steps
Making your yard a place where bats feel welcome involves a few simple steps. It’s about making your space feel safe and like a good home for them.
- Give them a home: Bats need a safe, quiet place to sleep during the day. Bat houses are perfect for this.
- Offer food: Bats eat insects. The more insects you have, the more food is available for bats. You can attract insects without attracting too many or the wrong kind.
- Provide water: Like all animals, bats need to drink. A water source makes your yard more appealing.
Let’s look at each step in more detail.
Giving Bats a Home: Using Bat Houses
Bat houses are specially made boxes that give bats a safe, dark, and warm place to roost during the day. They hang up high on poles or buildings. They are designed to meet a bat’s specific needs.
Deciphering Bat House Plans
Different kinds of bats like different kinds of houses. But some basic ideas work for many species. A good bat house is like a tall, flat box with a rough inside surface. This lets bats hold on and crawl inside.
Here are some key things you see in bat house plans:
- Size: Bat houses come in different sizes. Bigger is generally better. A single-chamber house might hold a few bats. A multi-chamber house can hold dozens or even hundreds. Larger houses are more stable in temperature and better for raising young bats.
- Chambers: These are the narrow spaces inside where bats roost. They should be about 3/4 to 1 inch wide. Bats like to squeeze into tight spots.
- Height: The house needs to be at least 2 feet tall. Taller houses (3-4 feet) are even better. This gives bats room to move up and down to find a spot that feels just right in temperature.
- Landing Pad: There’s usually a rough area or landing pad below the opening at the bottom. This helps bats land and crawl into the house.
- Surface: The inside walls and landing pad should be rough. Bats hang by their feet, so they need a surface they can grip easily. You can make wood rough by scoring it (making cuts) or using materials like plastic mesh.
- Ventilation: Some designs have small vents. This helps keep the house from getting too hot.
Using reliable Bat house plans helps ensure the house meets the needs of local bats. You can find free plans online from bat conservation groups or buy kits.
Building a Bat House
You can definitely build a bat house yourself! It’s a fun project. You need some wood, screws, and basic tools.
Here are the basic steps:
- Gather materials: You’ll need outdoor-grade plywood or rough-cut lumber. Cedar or pine works well. Avoid treated wood or wood with strong smells. You also need screws or nails, caulk, and paint or stain.
- Cut the pieces: Follow the measurements from your Bat house plans. You’ll have pieces for the front, back, sides, top, bottom (landing pad), and maybe inside dividers for chambers.
- Prepare the inside surfaces: Make sure the inside surfaces are rough. If using smooth plywood, score it with a saw or knife or add plastic mesh.
- Put it together: Screw or nail the pieces together. Use caulk on the seams to keep water out.
- Add chambers: If making a multi-chamber house, add the divider pieces to create the narrow roosting spaces.
- Seal and paint: Seal the outside wood with caulk. Paint or stain the outside only. The color is important for temperature regulation. Darker colors (black, dark brown, dark grey) are best for colder areas. Lighter colors (light brown, grey) are better for hotter areas. The color should help the house stay warm enough during the day.
Building a bat house can be simple. Following good Bat house plans is key to making a house bats will actually use.
Picking the Best Location for Bat House
Putting the bat house in the right spot is super important. A bat house in the wrong place likely won’t attract bats.
Here’s what bats look for in a home location:
- Sun Exposure: This is the most critical factor. Bat houses need lots of sun to stay warm. They should get at least 6-8 hours of direct sun each day. South or southeast facing is often best, but this can vary based on where you live and how hot it gets. In very hot areas, maybe 4-6 hours of morning sun is enough. The right sun keeps the house warm, which is important for bats, especially mothers raising their young.
- Height: The house should be high off the ground. At least 12-15 feet high is recommended. 20 feet or more is even better. This keeps them safe from predators and gives them room to drop down before flying off.
- Open Space: Bats need clear space around the house to fly in and out easily. There should be no trees, branches, or wires blocking the front or bottom of the house for at least 20 feet.
- Placement: Bat houses can go on the side of a building or on a pole. Mounting on a pole away from buildings and trees can be very effective because it often provides better sun exposure and predator protection. If putting it on a building, choose a wall with good sun.
- Color: As mentioned before, the color of the house should match your climate. Dark colors soak up more heat, light colors less. This helps the house reach the right temperature range (around 80-90°F is often ideal inside).
Avoid putting bat houses on trees. Trees offer too much shade, and predators like raccoons or snakes can reach them easily. They also attract climbing insects which can bother bats.
Table: Quick Bat House Location Checklist
| Feature | What Bats Like | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Exposure | 6-8+ hours direct sun (or less in very hot areas) | Keeps the house warm for roosting and raising young |
| Height | 12-20 feet or higher | Safety from predators, room to fly |
| Open Space | 20+ feet clear in front/below | Easy access for flying |
| Mounting | Building or pole (poles often better) | Provides stability, away from tree predators/shade |
| Color | Dark in cool climates, light in hot climates | Helps regulate inside temperature |
| Trees | Avoid mounting on trees | Too much shade, easy for predators, insects in wood |
Choosing the best location for bat house is possibly the most important step after building or buying a good house. Be patient. It can take a year or two, or even longer, for bats to find and use a new house. Keep it up, though!
Giving Bats Food: Attracting Insects
Bats eat insects. So, having lots of tasty bugs in your yard gives bats a reason to visit. You don’t need to create a bug problem, just a healthy outdoor space where insects that bats like can live.
Creating Bat Habitat by Boosting Bugs
This is where your garden choices come in. You can make your yard a feast for bats by planting things that attract the insects they eat.
Bats primarily eat moths, beetles, mosquitoes, and other flying insects. They are not interested in plant-eating pests that bother your vegetables (like aphids or slugs). So, attracting these specific bugs is good for bats and not necessarily bad for your plants.
Plants That Attract Insects Bats Eat
Certain plants are known to attract the kinds of insects that bats love to eat. These are often plants that are fragrant or have flowers that attract moths at night.
Here are some examples of plants that attract insects (especially moths and beetles) that are good for creating bat habitat:
- Evening Primrose: Opens its flowers in the evening, attracting night-flying moths.
- Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco): Also fragrant at night, luring moths.
- Night-Scented Stock: Highly fragrant at night, a moth favorite.
- Lemon Balm, Mint, Borage: These herbs attract many different insects, including those bats eat.
- Coneflower (Echinacea), Black-Eyed Susan, Sunflowers: Attract daytime insects, which in turn can attract beetles and other bugs active at night.
- Fruit Trees: Attract moths drawn to the blossoms and ripening fruit (though keep tree branches trimmed away from bat houses).
- Native Plants: Planting plants that are native to your area is always a good idea. They support local insect populations, which bats rely on.
By adding a variety of these plants that attract insects to your garden beds or borders, you are setting a table for your potential bat visitors.
The Role of Organic Gardening
Using organic gardening practices is strongly linked to creating bat habitat that provides food. Pesticides, even “natural” ones, can harm insects. If you kill off all the insects with sprays, bats won’t have anything to eat.
Organic gardening means avoiding synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. It focuses on building healthy soil and letting nature balance itself. This leads to a more diverse insect population.
Why organic gardening helps bats:
- More Food: Without bug sprays, there are more insects for bats to eat.
- Healthier Food: Insects that haven’t eaten pesticide-sprayed plants are healthier food for bats.
- Safer Environment: Bats can be harmed directly by pesticides if they are exposed to them. Organic methods keep the whole yard safer.
If you want bats as part of your natural pest control system, ditching the chemical sprays is a must. Embrace a little bit of natural insect life!
Giving Bats Water: Providing a Drink
Bats need to drink, often dipping down to skim the surface of water sources while flying. Having a readily available water source for bats in or near your yard makes it much more appealing to them.
Types of Water Source for Bats
Different types of water bodies can serve as a water source for bats.
- Ponds: A garden pond is an excellent water source. Bats can swoop down over the surface to drink. Make sure the edges are not too steep so other wildlife can access it safely.
- Pools: If you have a swimming pool, bats may use it. However, they can sometimes get stuck if the edges are steep. Adding a “critter saver” ramp can help any small animal that falls in get out.
- Bird Baths: While some large bird baths might work, they are often too small and shallow for bats to drink from easily while flying.
- Water Features: Decorative water features with open surfaces (not just a small stream) can be useful.
- Livestock Tanks: In rural areas, livestock tanks are often used by bats.
The best water source for bats is one with an open surface that they can fly over. Location matters too; a water source near where you plan to put a bat house is ideal. Keeping the water clean is also important.
Safety and Living with Bats
It is very safe to attract bats to your yard. Serious risks are rare, but it’s good to be aware and take simple precautions.
Important Safety Notes
- Do Not Touch Bats: Wild animals, including bats, should never be handled directly. If you find a bat on the ground or acting strangely during the day, it might be sick. Contact your local animal control or wildlife rescue. Do not pick it up.
- Rabies Risk: Bats can carry rabies, but it is very uncommon. The risk is extremely low if you don’t handle bats. A bat bite or scratch is how rabies is spread. If you or a pet is bitten or scratched by a bat, wash the area well and seek medical or vet advice immediately.
- Bat Droppings (Guano): Bat guano is a great fertilizer. However, like bird droppings, it can sometimes contain spores that cause a lung infection called histoplasmosis. This is usually only a risk in large, enclosed roosts (like caves or attics) with poor airflow. Guano collecting under an outdoor bat house is generally low risk, especially if you let it dry and then scoop it up carefully. Wearing gloves and a mask when cleaning large amounts of guano is a good idea. Guano can be added to compost or used directly in your garden as a rich fertilizer, supporting your organic gardening efforts.
Living near bats is overwhelmingly beneficial and safe. They are not aggressive and prefer to avoid people. By providing a home and food, you’re simply giving them a place to do what they naturally do: eat bugs!
Troubleshooting and Patience
You’ve put up a bat house, planted bat-friendly flowers, and maybe added a water dish. Now what? Wait!
- Be Patient: It can take a long time for bats to find a new house and decide to use it. Sometimes it takes a year or two, or even three. Don’t get discouraged if bats don’t show up right away. Keep the house up.
- Check Placement: If it’s been a few years and still no bats, double-check the location. Is it getting enough sun? Is there clear space around it? Is it high enough? Sometimes moving the house a short distance can make a big difference.
- Check the House: Make sure the house is sound. Are there any drafts or openings other than the bottom entrance? Is the inside surface still rough enough? Did wasps or birds try to nest in it? (You can gently clean these out in late winter before bats return).
- Is There Food Nearby? Look around your yard and neighborhood. Are there plenty of insects around? Are you using bug sprays that might be reducing their food source? Are your neighbors using lots of pesticides?
Attracting bats is part of creating a balanced natural environment in your yard. It’s not an instant fix, but a long-term investment in natural pest control and supporting local wildlife.
Reviewing the Bat-Friendly Yard Plan
So, to summarize how to attract bats safely and boost your natural pest control through mosquito control:
- Provide Shelter: Put up a well-built bat house in the best location for bat house (high, sunny, open). Use reliable Bat house plans or build a bat house following good instructions.
- Provide Food: Make your yard appealing to insects bats eat. Plant plants that attract insects. Practice organic gardening to keep insects healthy and plentiful and avoid harming bats.
- Provide Water: Have a water source for bats available, like a pond or a pool.
- Be Safe: Don’t touch bats. Enjoy watching them from a distance. Collect guano carefully if you plan to use it.
- Be Patient: It takes time for bats to find and move into a new home.
By following these steps, you create a welcoming space for bats. As they start using your yard, you’ll likely notice a real difference in the number of annoying night-flying insects, especially mosquitoes. You’re helping local wildlife and helping yourself to a more pleasant, bug-free yard.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How long does it take for bats to use a new bat house?
A: It can take a lot of time! Sometimes it’s a few months, but often it takes a year or even two or three years. Bats need to find the house and decide it’s a safe place to roost. Keep the house up and make sure its location is right.
Q: What time of year should I put up a bat house?
A: The best time is late winter or early spring, before bats return from moving for the season (migration or moving to a warmer area). This gives the house time to air out and be ready when they are looking for summer roosts. However, you can put one up anytime.
Q: Do bat houses need to be cleaned?
A: Generally, outdoor bat houses do not need regular cleaning. The guano simply falls out the bottom. If wasps or birds build nests in it, you can clean them out in late winter before bats return.
Q: Will attracting bats make me or my pets more likely to get rabies?
A: The risk is very low if you do not handle bats. Rabies is spread through bites or scratches. Teach children and pets not to touch bats. If you find a bat behaving strangely or on the ground, keep pets and people away and contact local animal control.
Q: I have a small yard. Can I still attract bats?
A: Yes! Even a small yard can help. Put up a bat house in a good location. Plant some night-blooming flowers along a fence or in a pot. If you don’t have space for a pond, even a large, shallow water dish kept full can sometimes help. Bats travel over areas, so your small effort can be part of a larger habitat.
Q: Do bats get tangled in hair?
A: No, this is a myth. Bats are very good at flying and use echolocation to navigate. They are not trying to fly into people’s hair.
Q: Can I use the bat guano from under the house in my garden?
A: Yes, bat guano is a wonderful natural fertilizer. You can collect it once it’s dry. Wearing gloves and a mask is recommended, especially if there’s a large pile. It’s a great boost for your organic gardening efforts.
Q: Will bats fly into my house?
A: Bats prefer dark, quiet spaces like your bat house. They usually only enter homes by accident if they find an open window or an easy way in (like a gap in the roof). Sealing up cracks and holes in your house helps prevent accidental entry.
By taking these steps, you can successfully invite bats to your yard, help control bugs like mosquitoes naturally, and support these important creatures. Enjoy your less buggy evenings!