Why the hell would I build a bat house?
Why do you need a bat house? To house bats, of course. Contrary to popular belief, bats are very beneficial and “essential” to our ecosystems. There are more than 1,100 different species of bats that consume large numbers of insects, including mosquitoes. Some bats can consume up to 1,000 insects in an hour. Certain other bats also pollinate plants, which is another crucial part of our ecosystem cycle. Even bat droppings, also called guano, are used as a natural fertilizer. Guano works just as well as cow patties as a fertilizer.
Most people see bats as carriers of diseases like rabies. There are very few cases each year of people being bitten by these creatures or contracting rabies from them. You’d have a better chance of being struck by lightning than bitten by a bat. Unfortunately, due to so many misconceptions, humans tend to kill them, which has resulted in many of the species being endangered and others endangered.
To help change this situation, many humans have started building bat houses to provide them with shelter and safety. In return, they enjoy a relatively insect-free environment. Building houses for bats is becoming increasingly popular as humans become educated on the benefits of having them around and realize that they are not as dangerous as some would have us believe. Did you know that bats are actually mammals?
They have their offspring just like humans. They are also the only mammals that can fly. The flying squirrel actually “glides” rather than flies, so it is not considered a flying mammal. Bats also have a fairly long life span of 20-30 years if they manage to avoid human destruction of their habitat. Having a house for bats in your backyard offers them a safe place to live. They will eat those pesky mosquitoes and you will be able to spend more time outdoors without worrying about being bitten by mosquitoes which, by the way, can lead to diseases such as malaria or typhoid fever.
Take some time to do some research on the benefits of bats and why you should build a shelter to help save the world’s best insect control agents. Don’t let the myths fool you. These friendly and helpful creatures are not dangerous, but they are definitely necessary to our ecosystem. Build a bat house today and help save our furry friends from extinction.
