Bat Blind
By Andrea Peck
The topic of bats came to me while perusing Facebook. I was scrolling away in that semi-conscious stupor that accompanies non-intellectual internet pursuits and there it was: a little cutie patootie. Or in actual English, a cute animal picture. This was unlike any other animal picture I've seen before. This one was a bat. Sure, it was a baby bat, but seriously when did bats get so cute? When I was a youthful teenager, all bats were menacing creatures with rabies. They even flew down low and got caught in your hair. On purpose. That's what my dad told me, anyway. The only cute bat that I know is Stellaluna, but then again, she thought she was a bird.
Well, I stand corrected. Bats have cuteness potential.
Most gardeners are aware that the horror flick version of aggressive, blood-thirsty bats is a slightly hysterical view. That doesn't change the fact that bats are simply unappealing. It's probably those crescent-shaped claws and rubbery wings – oh, and the freaky color. The skeletal physique that wraps around contortionist-style doesn't help. The picture below illustrates my point. I mean, the anatomy!
On the other side of the spectrum, bats are prized for their voracious insect appetite. They'll eat what happens to be on the menu for the night whether that be cutworm moths, chafer beetles, potato beetles, spotted cucumber beetles (yum!) or the dregs, mosquitos, midges and flies (yuck!). An average colony of insect-eating bats can eliminate 100 tons of insects in one season. Per night, the average bat consumes ¼ to ½ its body weight in insects.
Bats serve a significant ecological purpose particularly in the rainforest. Fruit eating bats disperse seeds over miles as they fly during the night hours. Nectar feeding bats pollinate fruits such as, bananas, mangoes, dates and figs. In desert areas, bats are the main pollinators of the pipe organ cactus and the agave. Insect eating bats protect plants by controlling pests that are out past their bedtime. California is home to 25 types of bats, 23 of which are insectivores. The other two survive on pollen and nectar.
Perhaps part of the dark mystique that surrounds the bat is its hours of activity. Bats are nocturnal creatures, leaving the roost when you're just heading in. Insects, their main meal source, are most active during the early evening hours. Echolocation allows them to use sound vibrations to determine distance, speed and even identification of some prey. Rainy weather stops the bat short, however. Apparently the rain interferes with their ability to echolocate.
Because of the bats ability to hunt insects, many gardeners erect a bat house and hold an open invitation to the local bat society. It is important to remember before you purchase a bat house for, say, $3.00 at a yard sale, that you know about bats – the whole picture, not just the glorified version.
First, bats don't like their houses placed on poles. That answers the question that I've had for the last few years: why have no bats moved into my bat house? I have it in the yard. It's on a pole. I painted it black like that one article 4 years ago told me to do. No takers.
Bats like to live on a structure. The pole is cold and when they have their hairless young, they get cold and you know that moms of all species do not settle when baby isn't happy. The bat home must be 12-18 feet above the ground. Not in a tree, though. Too many predators.
But, we're skirting the issue. After reading a bit about bats, I am somewhat happy that my black-bat-house-on-a-pole did not lure in Ma and Pa bat. This is why: bats do carry disease. Yes, rabies is a reality – though a slight one. But, because I have kids and they (or one of their friends) would probably climb that pole and grab those bats by their hook-wings, I am probably very lucky that we did not get any renters.
The chances are low that 1) your cute bat has rabies and 2) you will be bitten by this rabid bat, but the chance is there nonetheless. And if you are pretty relaxed like me, you'll think, oh, its nature and they have those stomach shots. We have modern medicine, right? Yes and yes, but rabies can be fatal. In fact, it is always fatal unless treated.
So that stopped me short.
Bats are wonderful and necessary animals. Currently, the number of bat colonies is in decline and if you have a large garden or own land where you can place a bat home, then your story is different. But, for me, in a small home, with a small garden, kids and pets, it is best not to encourage that close of a connection.
If you happen upon an injured bat, or one that is on the ground, let it lay there protected for a while and see if it recovers on its own. Sometimes bats will tire during migration. If it is cold, place a box or other simple structure over the bat until it is able to warm up and continue on. Never touch a bat, rabies is transmitted through a bite. Use gloves if you must handle a bat. If you have come into contact with a bat, seek medical attention. Often a bite goes unnoticed, so don't take any chances.
Now, if you are in the clear and you want to attract those night stalkers, there are a couple of other things you can do to your garden to make it more welcoming. Plant night blooming or night scented flowers. Below is a list:
Salvia Nicotiana
Moonflowers
Evening Primrose
Phlox
Nightflowering/Silene catchfly
Milkweeds
Goldenrod
Purple coneflower
Four o'clocks
Salvia
Aromatic herbs
Butterfly Bush
Place a bird bath or source of water within a ¼ mile of the bat house. Change the water regularly. Encourage the growth of sheltered areas along fences where vines or hedges meet; these may provide additional roosting sites.
Also, keep the nightlight on – it will serve as a bat buffet. Just make sure to keep a little distance.
For more information take a peek at the UCIPM pest notes: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74150.html