A bat house has been installed in our Pocket Park.
What is a bat house? It is a simple wooden structure that gives bats a safe place to rest during the day, kind of like a birdhouse but designed for bats. And before any worry sets in, bats are not interested in people. They prefer quiet, tucked away spaces and spend their nights doing something we can all appreciate, eating bugs.
One of the biggest benefits of this new addition to the pocket park is that bats can help dramatically reduce mosquitoes in the park, potentially cutting the mosquito population in half.
This effort follows guidance from Bat Conservation International which recommends a community approach placing bat houses throughout a neighborhood. Bats are highly social animals and thrive when they have multiple nearby roosting options.
Neighbors are encouraged to consider installing bat houses on their own properties as well. For best results, they’re typically placed 10 to 20 feet above the ground in a sunny, undisturbed spot. HMP will monitor the new house in the Pocket Park to see if it attracts some bat friends. If they do move in, it may be beneficial to add a small plant bed nearby to naturally manage droppings and keep foot traffic areas clean.
A big thanks to neighbor Lacey Minton for donating our new bat house.