A bat habitat earns its place in a backyard in more ways than most people expect. This is the full rundown of what a resident colony does for you: insect and mosquito control, pollination, seed spread, garden fertility, conservation value, and the plain pleasure of watching them head out at dusk.
At Big Bat Box, we’ve heard it all before. Bats are scary. Bats are aggressive. Bats will suck your blood! None of these are true. At all. Whatsoever. In fact, the only bats that drink or lap up blood can be found in a few select areas of Central and South America (Source).
All the bats in the United States? They tend to eat bugs, mosquitoes, and fruits. No bloods. No humans. Still, why would you want these creatures around all the time? Well, there’s a few good reasons.
Two of these deserve their own deep dive. If insect pressure is your main reason for looking, read our guide to bat house pest control. If you are still working out whether your property suits one at all, start with should you get a bat house.
7 Benefits of Bat Houses
One of the main reasons individuals install bat houses is to deal with mosquitoes. However, there are a plethora of other reasons why bats are beneficial. Here are seven of our favorite:
Insect Control
Bats can eat up to 1,200 insects per hour (Source). Many bats can eat nearly 70% of their body weight in insects each night. That makes a real difference to the insect pressure around your yard once a colony settles in. And there’s more…
Once insects start hearing bats flying, they instantly start leaving the area(Source). Bugs want absolutely nothing to do with bats. If you’re sick of bugs flying around your property and ruining your outdoor leisure time, then a bat house is what you need.
Mosquito Control
Sure, mosquitoes are insects and all, but this needs repeating. Bats may be the best form of natural mosquito control available. Many homeowners who had issues with mosquitoes on their properties have seen a real difference after installing bat houses.
They are the best mosquitoes eaters! Learn more in our post on Why Bats Are the Best Mosquito Eaters.
Once a bat house is colonized, mosquito pressure drops noticeably, because a full box works through an enormous volume of insects every night. Many owners find bites become far less of an issue after the habitat is occupied.
Just look at one of our happy Big Bat Box customers:
"Your bat house came highly recommended from my brother in law. We last counted 70 bats...talk about bug control. We went from constantly needing bug spray to needing absolutely nothing - ever. Thanks for making and selling these!" - Dave, Colorado
Pollinate Plants
Bats are the original nighttime pollinators. While the bees handle the day shift, bats can actively help your garden grow in the evening. See, bats are nocturnal animals. They do the majority of their work during the evening.
The bats sweep through your garden eating up insects and nectar as they please. Then they leave pollen on your plants. Pollen and plants go hand-in-hand. Next thing you know, your garden is the talk of the town.
Distribute Seeds
Bats also distribute seeds after eating fruits and nectar. As the seeds are in their poop and the flying mammals often poop while in the air, the seeds end up in new areas. This helps spread plants to large, open areas that were once devoid of plant life.
Bat Poop is Popular
Surprisingly, bat poop is quite popular and important. Bat guano is an impressive source of fertilizer. With the absolute ideal ratio of nutrients for plant growth, many use guano in their gardens as often as possible.
There’s also an ideal mix of bacteria and fungus in guano, which helps keep soil healthy and ideal for plant growth.
Conservation Value
As bats play a huge role in our ecosystems, many have become bat conservationists. Backyard conservation has become a genuine movement for nature enthusiasts, partly because bats get such an unfair shake as violent creatures in the media.
By installing a bat house, you give these animals a safe place to live and procreate. With all the natural habitats being destroyed today, this is incredibly important for the animals.
The Pleasure of Watching Them
Lastly, there is the watching itself. Sitting outside at dusk while the colony emerges is one of the better reasons to have a habitat on your property. These aren’t blood-sucking Dracula-like animals that many want you to think they are. No! Bats are remarkable animals who just want to eat some insects.
The Benefits of Bat Houses: Do You Need One?
There are many benefits of bat houses. For most people, the insect and mosquito control plays a huge role in why they install one. If you’re looking to reduce your mosquito issues, then a bat house should be your first option.
