Nature's very own pest control - bats!

An easy, low-cost project that you can do to help control the mosquito and beetle population in your neighborhood is to build a bat box!

Bats have dwelled in the mists of legend and folklore for generations, and is it only recently that the myths surrounding these misunderstood little mammals have been refuted.

There are over 1000 species of bats worldwide, and they make up nearly one quarter of all living mammals on the planet!

Every state with the exception of Hawaii has bats, and the majority of bats in the United States are insect eaters-which is where the bat box comes into play. Bats eat several times their own weight in insects every single night, and they are increasingly being encouraged to "move in" by communities and industries as a natural form of pest control.

Depending upon how large your bat box is, it may be able to hold up to 200 of these beneficial little mammals-with each bat eating hundreds of insects each and every night.

Bat boxes are slim, wooden structures with an opening at the bottom for the bats to enter and leave through. Also, a good bat box contains several roosting chambers (the best designs include three or more chambers), and each chamber is at least 20" tall, 14" wide and 3/4" deep.

Placement of the bat box is imperative to ensure that not only will the box attract bats, but that it will maintain whatever size colony that decides to occupy your artificial habitat. In general, most bats prefer very warm temperatures during the day, and the box should be placed in an area where it can receive the most sunlight. Also, the box should be placed high enough that predators will be unable to access the colony.

There are numerous examples and templates for bat boxes online, and it is a fairly simple matter to do a little research and even determine what species of bat(s!) that might be inhabiting your box.

Building a bat box can be a rewarding experience, both as a learning tool and as a contribution to the environment.

Help control the insect population and provide suitable habitat for one of the planet's most misunderstood animals!