One of my favorite times of the year is fall because it involves Halloween. What better creature than a bat to help us celebrate trick-or-treating by children decked out in scary outfits? And, attracting wildlife is the seventh principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, so bats are also important from that perspective.
Florida has 13 bat species that reside here year-round. Habitat destruction, harmful pesticides and nesting colony disturbances have led to the endangerment of three Florida bat species: the gray, Indiana and mastiff.
Bats naturally control pests by consuming rootworms, cutworms, corn borer moths, potato beetles and grasshoppers. By day, bats take shelter in foliage, under tree bark, in caves, in mines, in buildings and in rock crevices. Up to 300 bats per square foot can cluster to hibernate.
Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. Bats find their food sources and travel by making ultrasonic sounds that echo off solid objects.
Most eastern bat species produce one furless baby bat per year. Bat houses keep bats warm, dry and safe while sleeping during the day. Bats prefer temperatures between 80-100 degrees.
You can install a bat house any time of year. Bats are more attracted to houses mounted on the sides of buildings or poles. Predators include owls, hawks and falcons.
Select the roost site near food and fresh water sources and a location where the sight or odor of the guano (excrement) won’t be an issue. Locate the bat house at least 20 feet from potential predator perch sites and at least 12 feet off the ground.
The University of Florida has several bat houses on campus in Gainesville. It is quite an experience to see their massive exit. For additional information, go to ‘UF Bats of Florida’ and ‘Effective Bat Houses of Florida.’
Contact: Lynn Barber at labarber@ufl.edu.
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