How to Get Bats to Visit Your Garden and Why You Want Them There

Before start addressing the how to get bats to visit your garden aspect of this article, it might be useful to get into why that might be a good thing. And before we get into why bats in the garden are a good thing, we might need to get into why it isn’t a bad thing.

Bats, despite popular cinema and vampire lore, despite the reputation of rampantly spreading rabies, aren’t really any more threatening to people than other mammals. Less than one percent of bats get rabies, a lower rate than several other mammals, and rabid raccoons are reported nearly as often as bats. And vampire bats might be real but aren’t really vampires.

Rabies kills 1-3 people a year in the US, which is sad but not as much as deaths via lawnmowers, skating, or constipation, and bats don’t even account for all of those cases of rabies. In reality, they are very beneficial creatures to have around and are vitally important to the ecosystem.

Why We Want Bats in the Garden

Source: Planet Natural/Youtube

Different species of bats supply different benefits to the ecosystem. Insectivorous bats are incredibly voracious, and they eat loads of insects every night. This keeps the populations in check, which helps out agricultural systems as well as natural ecosystems. Some bats are pollinators, much like bees and butterflies, and certain plants rely on their pollination for survival. Fruit-eating bats are very important, much like birds, in seed dispersal. They also have a role as prey to larger mammals and birds in the ecosystem. Bats are also important to the caves where they congregate.

In short, bats in the garden means that insect problems will be less, both for the vegetables and people. Certain plants will be pollinated, seeds will be spread afar, and the surrounding environment and wildlife will be healthier for having them around. That seems worthwhile, doesn’t it?

How to Get Bats Visiting Your Garden

Source: Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust/Youtube

In order to get bats to find a garden appealing, it’s as simple as setting the stage for them to have the things they need. These are simple things we are all looking for: food, water, shelter, and that sort. Here’s how to do it in the garden.

1. Have a source of water. Bats get thirsty just like any other animal. In fact, they can lose 50% of their body weight in water in just one day. A garden pond is a great option, but a good-sized birdbath or fountain can do the trick as well. Bats like to fly by for mid-flight gulps rather than landing to drink.
2. Create good bat shelters. Building bat houses is a fun project, and they are a new norm in Conservation efforts. However, natural bat shelters are good to have as well. Bats love old trees, hollowed trees, dead trees, and large shrubs are great spots for bats to find a safe place to sleep during the day. Oddly, their shelters need a lot of sun so that they stay warm.
3. Plant night-blooming flowers. Like a body of water, night-blooming plants attract a lot of nocturnal insects which bats will happily come to gobble up. Night-blooming species include evening primroses, yuccas, four-o’clocks, moonflowers, nicotiana (tobacco), and Datura. But there are many more.
4. Time the coaxing. Bats are looking to set up in the spring and early summer, so it helps to have bat boxes in place then. The BCI (Bat Conservation International) reports that 90% of bat houses are occupied within a couple of years, so having some patience along with the good timing is important. Also, in colder environments, bats will migrate away in the wintertime.
5. Use lighting to attract insects. Lots of insects are attracted to lights at night, so just as we had with night-blooming flowers and ponds, bats will flock to these areas to feast. Having a spot or two with an outdoor light on a timer, maybe pointing at some night-blooming flowers, can provide some encouragement for bat guests.

Another Advantage of Bats

Source: BatBnB/Youtube

In addition to keeping the garden insect ecosystem in check and helping to spread or pollinate plants, bats provide great fertilizer. Guano is one of the best natural fertilizers going, so having them flying around the garden and dropping pellets of the good stuff is another benefit. In fact, collection spots can be created beneath bat houses to take further advantage of this resource.

Related Content:

• Tricolored Bats Recommended to Be Listed as Endangered Species Due to White Nose Syndrome
• Watching These Rescued Bats Share Corn on the Cob Just Made Our Day [Video]
• 10 Times Bats Were Scary Cute!
• 2 Little Bats Caught in Plastic Fruit Netting Get a Second Chance Thanks to Kind Rescuer! (VIDEO)

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