If something else could get rid of a lot of your nighttime pests, would you be interested? That was my first thought when I looked at this BatBnB review, if only because the idea sounds particularly appealing. In my area, two different dominant mosquito species are active around the clock. A multitude of moths lay eggs on my plants, which naturally hatch into larvae that devour my garden. Between the two of them, the nocturnal natural pest control sounded lovely.
However, when it comes to bat houses or bat boxes, there is so much to choose from that one has to wonder if there is any good reason to invest in a BatBnB. After all, to the amateur, they seem nothing more than a designer bat house. What makes these so much better than the others?
Let's take a few minutes to talk about bats themselves first. Then we will explore bat houses in general. Finally, we'll tell you why you should invest in a BatBnB via one of the cheaper bat houses on Amazon or a DIY model.
Get your own BatBnB
Bats: Nature's Nightly Pest Control Service
There are nearly 1,400 species of bats in the world, from tiny little things the size of a bumblebee to giant flying foxes with a wingspan of six feet. But most of those who settle in a bat crate or bat house are insectivores.
Hungry little things, these bats get most of their protein from insects that eat them. Mosquitoes are on the menu, but it's not just mosquitos that grab your attention. They are also part of a wide variety of other insects.
Japanese beetles, cicadas, larvae of army worm moths, cucumber beetles, stink bugs and more are picked from plants or from the air by our chiropteran friends. The pest problem is greatly reduced in areas where bats live, which improves the longevity of our gardens and our garden enjoyment.
Most bats are not blind, but their eyes are optimized for extremely dark conditions. You can see perfectly in pitch black surroundings. Typically, they use echolocation to find their food, emit a sharp sound, and then aim for the faint echo that comes back from their prey.
Since they work best at dusk or at night, they often retreat to a quiet crevice during the day. Bats can live under the eaves of a house or in the rafters of a barn. Caves or trees are other places where they literally hang. But they are safest when they are safe in a bat house.
It is estimated that they save billions annually on pest control in agriculture. Studies estimate that the terminal low value of bat protection is about $ 3.7 billion per year, with some estimates reaching as high as $ 58 billion in pest control savings.
Best of all, they are great neighbors. The nearly 40 natural species in the United States that consume insects naturally tend to avoid contact with humans. They don't mind living nearby, especially if you have a ready-made source of food. And of course, those of us who garden often have plenty of pests to eat up.
Why do you need a bat box
Now that you know a little bit more about bats, you can see what value they have in your garden. But why do you need to invest in one?
By providing your bat friends with a place to sleep, you are encouraging them to stay with them. Most bats tend to migrate to a nice, warm summer location, where insects are abundant, and then return to another location during the winter months.
In warm climates, where bats live year round, it's pretty easy to encourage bats to move around and stay there. But those of us who have colder winters need to find a way to entice our flying friends into building a summer home on our lots. This is especially true in urban settings where optimal sleeping places may not be easily accessible.
Once a bat finds your bat house, they will likely return year after year, taking their friends and family with them for their summer getaway. When you add a simple facility like this, you can have natural pest control every year. They will help if you give them an easy, safe place to call home.
If that wasn't enough, even though these pets are not pets and people should keep a respectful distance, watching these wild animals at sunset is fun. Their aerial acrobatics are a sight to behold, with swooping and diving as they snatch insects out of the air. Your bats are a great source of natural entertainment too!
Are you tired of the zap-zap sound of your bug-zapper? Maybe tired of adding more bait to your mosquito traps? Bats are much quieter.
While this is probably the least beneficial aspect, bat guano is a very powerful fertilizer. If you collect their droppings from below where you put their homes, you can throw them in the compost heap and enrich your entire pile.
What makes BatBnB so special?
Sure, you can make a bat box. People make DIY bat boxes all the time. However, if you want to encourage your flight pest control service to pay a visit year after year, you need something that will appeal to a bat. Their natural habitat offers specific key features that a simple rectangular box cannot.
When designing the BatBnB bat house, BatBnB contacted Merlin Tuttle, a bat protector with over 55 years of experience. Tuttle wrote what is considered the ultimate book on how to make a bat house, and has determined over the years what properties most bats look for in a safe place to get some sleep.
Properties BatBnB offers
First and foremost, ventilation is an important issue. Your bats need fresh air to breathe, and in hot weather they enjoy a slightly cooler airflow around them. The average DIY houses we make have too little ventilation. BatBnB has front ventilation on the single-chamber bat houses and two side slits on the two-chamber bat houses.
Speaking of chambers, you want spacious chambers that can house lots of bats. The average bat box houses fewer than 20 bats. BatBnB offers two options: a large single-chamber box for up to 40-50 people or a larger double-chamber box for 100 to 120 people. The more bats you have in your BatBnB, the more pest control is available to you.
When building a bat house, most people are not considering one of the most important aspects of bat comfort: a good grip. If the racket can't get hold of the inside of the box, they won't get caught. The inside of your BatBnB contains machine cut grooves every ½ inch that are perfectly spaced for the racket to hang comfortably on.
But all of these things are in addition to your BatBnB's main purpose: protection. This is not just a protection from predators, although it is an additional function. Your flying friends will also enjoy a nice, dry place to retreat from the rain or a place that offers good shelter from gusts of wind. In their natural habitat they find crevices in which they can crawl and which offer them the necessary protection.
An important aspect that BatBnB took into account when building its bat house is quality. As I said, it is possible to knock down a rudimentary bat box quickly, but how long will it take? Your racket B and B is attractive, which looks great in the garden and appeals to human aesthetics. It's built to last, fully sealed, and fitted with a sloping roof for extra protection. Made from Western red cedar, the wood itself is durable, and a residential-grade silicone sealant helps make it weatherproof.
BatBNB story: why are they doing this?
Since the winter of 2007-2008, millions of bats have died in the United States from a newly emerging disease called white nose syndrome. Caused by a fungus that thrives in cold, damp places such as caves, it infects the snout, nose and wings of hibernating bats.
White nose syndrome spread quickly and is now found in 33 US states and 7 Canadian provinces. Since it all comes from drafty, cold sleeping places, this poses a great risk to the insectivorous population of North America.
To date, BatBnB has housed at least 500,000 bats, with the number steadily increasing. They have also worked to educate the public about this growing problem by promoting their bat houses. Shark Tank, a popular television series, was one of many outreach methods they used to spread the word. The bat house Shark Tank was one of the earlier models, but they have continued to improve their BatBnB products since then.
But that's not the only place they showed off their bat house. Shark Tank, NPR, Innovation Nation at CBS, Entrepreneur, Fast Company and others have highlighted their essential mission to provide safe sanctuary for the bat population.
With the purchase of a BatBnB you offer further safe protection and at the same time benefit from the natural pest control. Your goal is to make bat conservation as popular as it is to save the bee movement, and this is only a single step in that direction.
BatBnB models to choose from
Of course, no review is complete without discussing the full range of products.
My personal favorites are the two-chamber BatBnB devices. These offer enough space for 100 to 120 bats to settle there. There are three types available: the Seneca, Meramec, or Carlsbad Models.
If you just want to set up a single box, the Meramec has a beautifully rounded landing pad at the base that looks great. A Seneca and a Carlsbad ensure a perfectly aligned set so that a couple can go on the same wall. And if you want to go for three, 1 of each style can make a great decorative look on the wall of your barn or house while hosting an entire colony.
These three models typically cost $ 250 each. If that seems excessive, don't panic. For the money you spend, you will get the highest quality homes on the market. Each is crafted with craftsmanship to make it look incredible while also ensuring that it is on the cutting edge in terms of functionality.
Are you looking for something smaller? They also have single chamber boxes. This series contains the Sonora, cascade, and Arroyo Models. Each box can hold between 40 and 50 bats and can be used individually or in pairs to look like the twin packs. These usually sell for $ 120. So if you are budget conscious they are a great option.
To complete your collection, they have the mammoth. As the name suggests, the mammoth is a truly gigantic bat house that can easily accommodate 200 to 240 bats. This gigantic box costs $ 418 and makes sure you have a huge colony year after year
How to set up your BatBnB
There are very few BatBnB ratings, let alone describing how and where they should be set up. So let's talk about setup and placement.
Depending on your climate, you have two options: the side of a tall building or a stand-alone post. Either way, you want something sturdy and safe that the wind won't bring down. In cooler climates, the side of a building is always best as it offers additional warmth.
Your location should be at least 20 feet from nearby trees. Tree-mounted bat houses often keep predators such as hawks or owls waiting for a nearby branch and are ready to engage with your bat population when they emerge. In addition, trees often give your bat house too much shade.
Speaking of shade: you want your bat house to be in full sun for at least six or more hours a day, even in hot climates. In cooler climates, more sun is better.
Finally, your bat house should be at least 10-12 feet above the ground. 15-20 feet is better. This will reduce the risk of predators reaching your BatBnB and move it to an easy location for your bats to land safely.
Installing your BatBnB couldn't be easier. There are pre-assembled cleats on the back. A bracket and Phillips screws are included. Screw the bracket to the wall you want, making sure it is level and at the correct height. Once in place, the cleats on the back of your house should slide neatly onto the mounting bracket. Use the final screw to secure the base with the attached metal bracket.
Get your own BatBnB
The green fingers behind this article:
Lorin Nielsen
Lifelong gardener
