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May 4, 2009
How to attract bats
Does anyone keep,have, house or try to make things bat friendly for their outdoor spaces? Our garden was rendered unusable last year in the summer because of mosquitos - the mosquitos in Carroll Gardnes are striped and actually come out in the day - I heard that some people put bat houses up to try to control this - is this crazy? If its as simple as putting a bat house up I need to know - if its like keeping a goat in yourback yard then that won't do-much obliged.
Comments
Saw stuff here: http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2008/06/to-battle-brooklyn-mosquitoes-bring-on.html
and here: http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2008/02/mosquitos_in_br.php
http://www.citydirt.net/city_dirt/post_11.html
Posted by: bkrules at May 4, 2009 6:00 PM
http://reclaimedhome.com/2009/04/20/i-got-me-a-bat-house/
Posted by: rh at May 4, 2009 11:05 PM
I read that it takes a few years before bats will even consider moving into whatever nice home you put up for them. And last year there were many stories of NY's bat population taking a dive - nose fungus?
Posted by: mshook at May 5, 2009 6:29 AM
Build a bat house and attach it to a flag pole. There are certain height requirements and you can easily find free plans with a google search. I'm sure they are also available commercially. I made one as a friend's house warming gift. Make sure you use cedar or some other weather proof wood (not pressure treated).
Posted by: Iknow at May 5, 2009 8:22 AM
The bat house should also be in a place where sunlight will hit it during the day for warmth but that will be dark at night. Should be a quiet spot away from barking dogs and AC compressors. But forget the whole thing if you're not near a water source.
Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at May 5, 2009 10:56 AM
I really want a bat house. Because I hate mosquitoes and I actually love bats! They're cute. I've been trying to convince my husband. Can one put out a water source for the bats that doesn't breed mosquitoes? Maybe use a bird bath and put the discs that kill mosquito larvae (but safe for animals) in it.
Posted by: traditionalmod at May 5, 2009 11:11 AM
There must be a water source otherwise where would all the mosquitos have come from? Who doesnt love bats?! They are winged kittens.
I just have to convince my husband.
We once ordered a bag of ladybugs for an aphid problem I wish we could order a bag of bats.
Posted by: Ljubitca at May 5, 2009 11:38 AM
And where does one get bat urine - surely that you can order???
Posted by: Ljubitca at May 5, 2009 11:56 AM
I love bats! I put a bat house on our home, southern exposure, but no bats have ever shown up. Maybe it's not dark enough. Not near enough to a body of water. There is a dog next door who barks sometimes. I want bats!
I was in NJ one evening and saw a bat swooping around near a street light, catching the insects attracted to the light.
Walking by City Hall in Manhattan a few years ago I saw a little, furry bat face down on the sidewalk. I thought it was dead, but when I went to put a leaf under it to move it off of the sidewalk it grabbed onto the leaf and hauled itself up! I put it in City Hall Park, and it was fine. It was adorable.
Winged kittens - perfect! (Why do you want to buy bat urine?)
Posted by: Violet at May 5, 2009 12:49 PM
One of the links first posted to my question sends us to a post that says to attract bats you should soak the bat house in bat urine. I am willing to do that in well covered flesh.
I walk past City Hall everyday and night and there is definltiy a lot of activity there - perhaps you found a lazy bat.
I will continue the urine search.
Posted by: Ljubitca at May 5, 2009 1:01 PM
If you find a bag of bats, can you get me one, too? ;)
Posted by: meerkatz at May 5, 2009 3:38 PM
I am not sure I would want bats in my garden. Bats harbor any number of diseases that can easily be contracted by humans or family pets including rabies. Talk to a vet before deciding whether you want to encourage bats to move into your garden. There might be other ways to deter mosquitoes, including getting rid of standing water, mosquito coils and bug zappers.
Posted by: bohuma at May 5, 2009 3:52 PM
Almost every backyard I've been in in Bklyn has had bats flying overhead at around twilight. You may mistake them for birds.
Posted by: Arkady at May 5, 2009 4:30 PM
A word to the wise re: handling bats—they are nocturnal animals. If you encounter one during the daytime, there's a good chance the bat is rabid, or otherwise ill.
Posted by: vinca at May 5, 2009 8:59 PM
Too funny, Ljubitca! Keep us posted on the bat urine search. I know bat guano is a good fertilizer and can be bought. What's the difference?
Posted by: tinarina at May 5, 2009 9:33 PM
Don't they carry the henta virus or something? The same one mice and rats have?
Posted by: Heather at May 6, 2009 5:10 PM
The bats in NY are brown bats. They are insectivores and wouldn't bite a person, so the rabies threat is almost nil. Unless, I suppose, a person bit a rabid brown bat.
I hung a bat house up 4 years ago and I've never seen one even attempt to investigate it. I do occasionally see bats swooping under the streetlights on our block, but very rarely.
I've been saying for years to anyone who'll listen that BK needs more bats. If you find the 'bag o' bats' source, I'm in for two bags!
Posted by: houseowax at May 7, 2009 10:13 AM
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