Why the heck would he 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. Some 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 as well as beef patties as a fertilizer.

Most people consider bats to carry diseases such as rabies. Every year there are very few cases of people being bitten by these creatures or contracting rabies. You would be more likely to be struck by lightning than to be bitten by a bat. Unfortunately, due to so many misconceptions, humans tend to kill them, which has made many of the species endangered and others endangered.

To help reverse this situation, many humans have started building bat houses to give them shelter and safety. In return, they enjoy a relatively insect-free environment. Building bat houses is becoming increasingly popular as humans educate themselves 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’ instead of flying, so it is not considered a flying mammal. Bats also have a fairly long lifespan of 20 to 30 years if they manage to prevent human destruction of their habitat. Having a bat house 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 mosquito bites which, by the way, could lead to diseases like malaria or typhoid fever.

Take some time to do a little 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 for our ecosystem. Build a bat house today and help save our furry friends from extinction.