Attract Bats to Your Garden
Do you want to care for these small, loving animals? If so read on to find out how to do just that.
Contents
Steps
- Place a bat box somewhere in your garden. Preferably on a pole or the side of a tree. Make sure it is getting plenty of sunlight-bats like it warm! You can build your own bat box or purchase one.
- The bat box should be at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} and at a maximum of {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} to attract a bat
- Make sure any bat predators (an animal that eats bats) are not near. A bat's predator can be an owl, hawk, or even a bigger bird.
- Also, a bat should have a source of water nearby the bat box. Place a bird bath in your garden near the bat box or in clear sight of it.
- Finished! It may take some time for bats to find your new bat box. If after a few years it goes unused, try moving it to a location with more sun exposure.
Tips
- Bats can also help to get rid of unwanted pests like midges or mosquitoes.
- Bat guano (scat or poop) actually helps with your garden! It is a natural fertilizer.
- Dowel rods from craft stores make great tools to clean bat boxes. Be sure to only clean bat boxes out when bats are not present! Many bats hibernate in caves for the winter, making the winter or very early spring a great time to clean out any debris from the bat boxes before bats return.
- Many bats in North America are facing a deadly disease called White-nose Syndrome. With many species facing extinction, bat boxes are wonderful tools to help bats survive!
Warnings
Be sure to clean out bat boxes at least once a year to prevent insects from using them. Only clean boxes out when bats are not present (winter or very early spring).
