I learned today that my neighborhood has newly installed bat boxes.

Apparently a young man working towards an Eagle Scout Badge, made and installed the bat boxes.

A bat box is a home for bats and is a safe place for them to gather.  One bat box can house up to 100 bats although the boxes are not large.

The bat boxes were installed on tall wooden posts.

Tall Bat Box

My research indicates that bats like to live under the bark of dead trees.  Not too many dead trees in my neighborhood.

Bat boxes need to be painted to attract bats.

In cooler climates, the boxes should be painted a dark color so the sun rays keeps the bat boxes warm.

This photograph shows a bat box that is painted dark brown.  It, also, has a bat shape on the outside but this is not discernible from the photograph.

Why Install Bat Boxes?

1. Bats eat insects and mosquitos.
2. Bats pollinate plants at night.
3. Bats distribute seeds through their droppings or guano.
4. Bats are important to the ecosystem.
5. Some bats are endangered or on the verge of extinction.

Smaller Bat Box Audubon at Home, Wildlife Sanctuary Sign Neighborhood Gazebo

The bat boxes in my neighborhood are located near this Audubon at Home Wildlife Sanctuary sign.

The gazebo is near the wildlife sanctuary.

Bats and Coronaviruses

My research indicates that bats, also, act as hosts for several coronaviruses.

The Chinese Horseshoe Bat could have caused the COVID-19 pandemic but how it infected humans is not clear.

More scientific research is needed to clear up this bat to human transmission mystery.

If any of my Readers can share more information of this topic, please leave a reply below.  Thanks.

Bat Box and Blue Sky

Bats play an important role in my neighborhood by eating harmful mosquitos.

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