How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes with Bats
Flying bats that is, not baseball bats. Baseball bats are not very effective, but real, flying bats are. Why not use nature when trying to control or get rid of the mosquito population in your yard and around your house? Bats feed on mosquitoes and eat them at a very high rate, up 1,000 per hour. But, you may wonder how do you get the bats to come to your house in the first place. They don't read there mails, so an evite won't work, they have trouble opening envelopes, regular mail wouldn't either, no hands to use a cell phone...hmmm. There are actually quite a few things you can do to attract them to your yard. Once you a
ttract bats to your yard, your mosquito problems will be a thing of the past.
Bat House
Build your own bat house, which is similar to building a birdhouse, but the dimensions are a little different. Bat houses are larger than birdhouses and need to be at least 26-inches tall and 14-inches wide. If you are are not very handy when it comes to woodworking, garden centers and online retailers sell bat houses. Set your new bat house on a tall pole, near a water source such as a backyard pond, stream, pool or a large birdbath. Avoid mounting the bat house on trees. Bats tend to skip those houses because predators have a way to sneak up on them from the trees.
Caulk all seams and gaps in the bat house and paint it black. The black color helps to heat the inside of the house when the sun shines, bats thrive in very warm houses -- usually about 90 degrees. Make sure you use paintable caulk or the paint will peel off the caulking. Peeling paint can be a health hazard for bats and their young.
Bat Garden
Plant a bat garden with plants that bats are naturally attracted to. Bats love Four O'clocks, Bachelor's Buttons, Lavender, Sweet William, Thyme and Phlox. The flowers look very pretty planted near the pole that holds the bat house. If you don't like all teh work associated with a flower garden, plant the flowers and plants in containers and set them around the pole.
Bat Lighting
Install an outdoor mercury vapor light in a far, dark corner of the yard, not too close to the bat house. The mercury vapor light will attract mosquitoes and other insects for the bats to eat. Point the lights away from the bat house. Bats do not like when their houses are lit up.
Bat Tips
Avoid using insecticides or pesticides in your yard or garden. Bats are very chemical and pollution sensi
tive and will avoid areas where those types of chemicals are used. Remeber if the chemical used can kill bugs, they can kill bats.
In most cases, bats will not go after people. Typically, bats only bite if caught, handled or feel threatened. Vampire bats will not fly around your yard looking for the perfect neck to bite. If being bitten and turning into a vampire is a concern, wear a garlic necklace ...works like a charm. Keeps bats away from your neck and people too.
Consider mounting your bat house on the side of a shed, barn, tall fence or other structure, if you do not want to mount it on a pole.
Bats provide free of charge, organic pest control. No harmful pesticides, chemicals or monthly bills. Let nature handle nature -- simple as that.
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Comments
What a beautiful bat photo! I hope people understand that they are our friends and to not be scared of them. The bat garden plants are so interesting, who knew? Great tips here!
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