Bat house?

[MadPlumbarian]

Just a quick question, anyone on here have a bat house? I started doing some research and thought about getting/making one cause we have A LOT of mosquitos, and bats eat like 500 of them in an hour! So if I put a house up in the backyard and they were flying around we just might be able to have a fire and not get eaten? So I was just wondering if anyone has one and what thoughts on them? Thanks..
JR

[Ron Who]

There are a lot of bats where I live. I see them hunting when I´m sitting in the garden in the evening. But bats (and birds, and dragonflies) are not enough to decimate the gnat population.

IMO it´s better to use Deet or some other repellant. Planting lemon grass may help some.

[Pacu]

I do at my dad's house. Built them in Boy Scouts . I've seen a few bats in them over the years as they always drank water from our pool at night while we were swimming.     If you google Boy Scout bat house you can see exactly what we built.

I don't think that they helped with the skeeters as we were eaten up at night anyway.  Dad used to irradiate the yard with Diazinon but I think they outlawed the good pesticides.

[Steinar]

I doubt it would help that much on the mosquito situation, but it sounds like a cool project to do along kids and also cool to see bats more often.

[MadPlumbarian]

There are a lot of bats where I live. I see them hunting when I´m sitting in the garden in the evening. But bats (and birds, and dragonflies) are not enough to decimate the gnat population.

IMO it´s better to use Deet or some other repellant. Planting lemon grass may help some.

I sprayed some stuff across the entire yard and even on the neighbors bushes didn’t do mush..

I do at my dad's house. Built them in Boy Scouts . I've seen a few bats in them over the years as they always drank water from our pool at night while we were swimming.     If you google Boy Scout bat house you can see exactly what we built.

I don't think that they helped with the skeeters as we were eaten up at night anyway.  Dad used to irradiate the yard with Diazinon but I think they outlawed the good pesticides.

That house looks pretty easy, that and big! Id just need supply’s,
JR

[Aloha]

Last year we had a serious mosquito problem.  I bought something at HDepot that worked wonderfully.  I'll have to see I have the container or remember. 

[MadPlumbarian]

Last year we had a serious mosquito problem.  I bought something at HDepot that worked wonderfully.  I'll have to see I have the container or remember.

I think this is the one we got to hose down the back yard, it might have done something but we haven’t really been outside to much because they were just so nasty, I mean the one time we, well I, was cooking on the grill and as soon as I stepped away I could use a squeegee to wipe them off!
JR

[ironraven]

I'd love to have a bat house, but it's a bit more than I can afford.



Admittedly, I'd live in the basement...



And I'm so disappointed in MTO that NO ONE made this comment earlier

[MadPlumbarian]

I'd love to have a bat house, but it's a bit more than I can afford.

(Image removed from quote.)

Admittedly, I'd live in the basement...



And I'm so disappointed in MTO that NO ONE made this comment earlier

Ok, you take the basement, we want a tiny house so we’ll take either the garage or shed!
JR

[ducttapetech]

Just a quick question, anyone on here have a bat house? I started doing some research and thought about getting/making one cause we have A LOT of mosquitos, and bats eat like 500 of them in an hour! So if I put a house up in the backyard and they were flying around we just might be able to have a fire and not get eaten? So I was just wondering if anyone has one and what thoughts on them? Thanks..
JR

I hate to tell you this, bats are not enough. Hell the state bird of Michigan is the mosquito. In the U.P. they even fly in formation. Not much to do against that.

[Aloha]

Last year we had a serious mosquito problem.  I bought something at HDepot that worked wonderfully.  I'll have to see I have the container or remember.

I think this is the one we got to hose down the back yard, it might have done something but we haven’t really been outside to much because they were just so nasty, I mean the one time we, well I, was cooking on the grill and as soon as I stepped away I could use a squeegee to wipe them off!
JR

It was one that attached to the hose but for mosquitos only I think?  Cutter was the brand.  I highly suggest Thermacell.  Its works as advertised and you can wear it around your neck.  I'd also use permethrin on your clothing however it can be deadly to cats so make sure to read all the warnings.  I also like Lemon/Eucalyptus oil bug spray for my skin.   

[MadPlumbarian]

Just a quick question, anyone on here have a bat house? I started doing some research and thought about getting/making one cause we have A LOT of mosquitos, and bats eat like 500 of them in an hour! So if I put a house up in the backyard and they were flying around we just might be able to have a fire and not get eaten? So I was just wondering if anyone has one and what thoughts on them? Thanks..
JR

I hate to tell you this, bats are not enough. Hell the state bird of Michigan is the mosquito. In the U.P. they even fly in formation. Not much to do against that.

Err,, the one thing I absolutely hate is mosquitos, every summer I used to go out to Arizona for a month, it was so peaceful, especially at night, the pool would be so warm from the sun yet the outside temp was cool, just had to check the cool cleaners to make sure no snakes..
JR

[ducttapetech]

Just a quick question, anyone on here have a bat house? I started doing some research and thought about getting/making one cause we have A LOT of mosquitos, and bats eat like 500 of them in an hour! So if I put a house up in the backyard and they were flying around we just might be able to have a fire and not get eaten? So I was just wondering if anyone has one and what thoughts on them? Thanks..
JR

I hate to tell you this, bats are not enough. Hell the state bird of Michigan is the mosquito. In the U.P. they even fly in formation. Not much to do against that.

Err,, the one thing I absolutely hate is mosquitos, every summer I used to go out to Arizona for a month, it was so peaceful, especially at night, the pool would be so warm from the sun yet the outside temp was cool, just had to check the cool cleaners to make sure no snakes..
JR

I hear ya. But believe it or or not, it was the black flies and deer flies that killed us in the U.P. Those things are straight hell. Made the mosquitos look like dog pecker knats.
 Ow that I live in Ohio, the mosquitos are not as bad, but wood ticks make up for them. We even have a gun season for them.......lol!

[MadPlumbarian]

Just a quick question, anyone on here have a bat house? I started doing some research and thought about getting/making one cause we have A LOT of mosquitos, and bats eat like 500 of them in an hour! So if I put a house up in the backyard and they were flying around we just might be able to have a fire and not get eaten? So I was just wondering if anyone has one and what thoughts on them? Thanks..
JR

I hate to tell you this, bats are not enough. Hell the state bird of Michigan is the mosquito. In the U.P. they even fly in formation. Not much to do against that.

Err,, the one thing I absolutely hate is mosquitos, every summer I used to go out to Arizona for a month, it was so peaceful, especially at night, the pool would be so warm from the sun yet the outside temp was cool, just had to check the cool cleaners to make sure no snakes..
JR

I hear ya. But believe it or or not, it was the black flies and deer flies that killed us in the U.P. Those things are straight hell. Made the mosquitos look like dog pecker knats.
 Ow that I live in Ohio, the mosquitos are not as bad, but wood ticks make up for them. We even have a gun season for them.......lol!

There is something else, idk what it is some nat or fly, they live in the bush but you don’t bug them they leave you alone, but when I had to trim the bushes I got freaking attacked, I had to keep swinging, they kept coming after you like a kamikaze pilot.. and since the kid was helping me he couldn’t take them and had to run in the house, heck yesterday we were out and she must have drove through a swarm of nats, and as we stepped out of the car they fell on the wife, cause I had to pick them off of her, but we didn’t know what happened until we got back out to the car cause there were about 2000 dead ones covering the car.. I got to get one of those tennis racket bug zappers, then rig it with a 9v battery,, lol
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

Watkins is a good brand for bug repellent, and the only thing I have found to minimize the amount of bug bites I get.  And I get hundreds.  Whatever it is that attracts the little smurfers is something I produce by the gallon.  They virtually ignore Megan when I am around, preferring to feast on me.  I swear, all summer long at least 3% of my blood is mosquito saliva.   

The cool thing is that the same thing that attracts mosquitoes apparently also attracts dragonflies, that love to eat mosquitoes, and so when I go kayaking I am often completely surrounded by dragonflies, which is kind of cool.  They fly around my boat like I'm an aircraft carrier, protecting me from mosquitoes and occasionally resting on the deck.  Or my hat. 

As for the bat box, you should totally do that.  It probably won't save you from bugs as much as you were hoping, but the brown bat population has been suffering lately with white nose syndrome, and they are dying off at record rates.  The poor little bats could use any and all help they can get.  It has gotten so bad that the Canadian government has set up a bat spotting hotline, so if you see a bat you need to let them know the location and time so they can try and track the populations as they decline, in hopes of finding a way to stop it.

So, yes, build bat houses, every chance you get!

Def

[twiliter]

May want to be careful about where you locate the bat house, as their droppings can cause histoplasmosis in pets (and humans).  I had an exterminator relate this info to me when we found a bat house attached to a house we moved in to. It was quickly removed. 

[MadPlumbarian]

May want to be careful about where you locate the bat house, as their droppings can cause histoplasmosis in pets (and humans).  I had an exterminator relate this info to me when we found a bat house attached to a house we moved in to. It was quickly removed. 

How far is good? The place I was thinking was around back of the garage if we make/get one. I mean it’s not like on a farm and on a barn down the driveway but the garage is maybe 50’ from the house and the back of the house is to the side of the garage, maybe if in the back yard off to the back you can see where I was thinking, that and the patio is to the side of the garage? I do have to make one trip to mow the lawn, but it wouldn’t be mowing anything over since there’s like a flower bed right under?
JR

[Aloha]

If you build one you've just added bat poop cleaning to your chore list 

[pfrsantos]

If you build one you've just added bat poop cleaning to your chore list 

[twiliter]

May want to be careful about where you locate the bat house, as their droppings can cause histoplasmosis in pets (and humans).  I had an exterminator relate this info to me when we found a bat house attached to a house we moved in to. It was quickly removed. 

How far is good? The place I was thinking was around back of the garage if we make/get one. I mean it’s not like on a farm and on a barn down the driveway but the garage is maybe 50’ from the house and the back of the house is to the side of the garage, maybe if in the back yard off to the back you can see where I was thinking, that and the patio is to the side of the garage? I do have to make one trip to mow the lawn, but it wouldn’t be mowing anything over since there’s like a flower bed right under?
JR

If you build one you've just added bat poop cleaning to your chore list 

I think Aloha has the answer to this. 

If there is an accumulation of droppings there is a risk, as the fungus becomes airborne. Not sure JR, I just didn't want one anywhere my dog was likely to be running around. 

[pfrsantos]

May want to be careful about where you locate the bat house, as their droppings can cause histoplasmosis in pets (and humans).  I had an exterminator relate this info to me when we found a bat house attached to a house we moved in to. It was quickly removed. 

How far is good? The place I was thinking was around back of the garage if we make/get one. I mean it’s not like on a farm and on a barn down the driveway but the garage is maybe 50’ from the house and the back of the house is to the side of the garage, maybe if in the back yard off to the back you can see where I was thinking, that and the patio is to the side of the garage? I do have to make one trip to mow the lawn, but it wouldn’t be mowing anything over since there’s like a flower bed right under?
JR

If you build one you've just added bat poop cleaning to your chore list 

I think Aloha has the answer to this. 

If there is an accumulation of droppings there is a risk, as the fungus becomes airborne. Not sure JR, I just didn't want one anywhere my dog was likely to be running around. 

On the other hand...

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/manures/bat-guano-fertilizer.htm

[MadPlumbarian]

Here’s a layout, you can see where I’d hang it behind the garage, the only thing I’d have to do is make one pass with the lawnmower to get to the other side, and that’s about 2’ away from the garage, honestly I could care less about mowing that section but knowing my luck I’d get fined.. that and our one furball is buried back there..
  Other then that everything’s done between the house and garage, and I think most of those mosquitoes are in that bush line between property’s or in another one under that big tree?
JR

[Aloha]

Go for it. 

[pfrsantos]

Here’s a layout, you can see where I’d hang it behind the garage, the only thing I’d have to do is make one pass with the lawnmower to get to the other side, and that’s about 2’ away from the garage, honestly I could care less about mowing that section but knowing my luck I’d get fined.. that and our one furball is buried back there..
  Other then that everything’s done between the house and garage, and I think most of those mosquitoes are in that bush line between property’s or in another one under that big tree?
JR

Is there any wood or forest or similar around, where you could put some shelter for them? You know, to avoid the droppings near home.

 

[MadPlumbarian]

Here’s a layout, you can see where I’d hang it behind the garage, the only thing I’d have to do is make one pass with the lawnmower to get to the other side, and that’s about 2’ away from the garage, honestly I could care less about mowing that section but knowing my luck I’d get fined.. that and our one furball is buried back there..
  Other then that everything’s done between the house and garage, and I think most of those mosquitoes are in that bush line between property’s or in another one under that big tree?
JR

Is there any wood or forest or similar around, where you could put some shelter for them? You know, to avoid the droppings near home.

 

Yes but no, there’s forest like down the street but nothing I can touch..
JR

[Pacu]

Watch out for rabies. We had a bat miscalculate and land in our pool. We got a stick and got him out. Mom freaked out as she thought we just grabbed him and got it out of the pool. She grew up where everything had rabies. Not sure if all bats are carriers but better safe than sorry with people around.

[Aloha]

There are many plants that can also help with mosquitos.  Lavender, Rosemary, Mums, and other nice plants that look great and smell great.  Herbs too.  Maybe plant a variety along with other measures.