I personally have been thinking about doing a bat house in my backyard, which for the record isn't big, because the mosquitos we have from late spring until late fall (3 whole seasons practically) have gotten worse. DC is just like that, but with how bad it is, I attribute this partly due to my neighbour's roof because of the water that collects on their roof and deck roof (seriously, they almost could have a mini swim party after a rainstorm, just kidding, but it is still bad). So mosquitos breed like crazy and it's no fun for my kids to even go out and play in their own treehouse or be on their trampoline.
So naturally, getting a bat house so any of those bats eat the mosquitos is a HUGE win for not just our house but the neighbourhood. Especially because my girl scouts meet at my house and sometimes doing outdoor things turns into not so much fun when the mosquitos decide to come out to play.
So I am glad to see a very useful Eagle Project being done to help combat the problem in the area.
If you are not the Takoma Park MD area, or near Sligo Creek, like me, here are some good resources to learn more about bats and how to live with them.
Living With Bats
Types of Bats in the DC Area
Bat Houses from Bat Conservation International
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Below is the information directly from Jonathan himself! (Well, his dad Bruce, technically emailed it to me to share with you, but still).
Would you like to host bats in your yard this year, increase animal diversity in Sligo, and help control insect pests in your garden? If so, you can partner with Eagle Scout candidate Jonathan Andersen to get a bat house installed on your property.
Jonathan, a senior at Blair High School, will build the bat houses and distribute them to homeowners (or install them himself ) in Takoma Park residences near Sligo Creek or Long Branch.
Bats consume vast quantities of insects including such nemeses of the vegetable gardener as cucumber beetles, stinkbugs, leafhoppers, and the adult moths of caterpillars like potato worms, cutworms, corn borers, and tomato hornworms. Bats also eat some mosquitos, flies, and wasps.
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A bat house installed under the eaves of
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In urban and suburban areas, bats are losing their natural habitats. To help alleviate the problem, the organization Bat Conservation International (website) promotes bat houses. Bats use the houses to "roost" (rest) during the daytime hours and to raise their young during the summer months.
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Jonathan will build the bat houses and then distribute them to interested homeowners, or install them himself, in March.
Priority will be given to homes that meet the following criteria for a successful bat house:
* A location for mounting the bat house that is at least 12 feet directly above the ground or shrubs
* Receives at least six hours of direct sun each day
* Faces southeast or southwest
* Is 25 feet or more from the nearest tree branches
* Is within a quarter-mile of Sligo Creek or Long Branch (since bats feed mostly over water).
These standards were developed by Bat Conservation International after ten years of testing, with results that are summarized here.
Homeowners can have bat houses installed or get necessary mounts to do it yourself.
If you're interested, contact Jonathan at (301) 270-1089 or this email jmandersent@gmail.com.
If you're interested, contact Jonathan at (301) 270-1089 or this email jmandersent@gmail.com.
From: http://www.fosc.org/
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Jonathan's Eagle Scout Project Takes Flight! #scoutoftheday ⚜️— All About Scouts! (@allaboutscouts) January 26, 2019
Find out if you can get a bat house from him - https://t.co/c19JvF9lYT 🦇@NCACBSA @boyscouts #allaboutscouts #eagleproject #ncacbsa #proudscoutleader #boyscouts pic.twitter.com/F6ju6em6Zq
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