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Tips for Attracting Garden Bats

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Tips and Plants for Attracting Bats to Your Garden

Bats can be a valuable addition to your garden because their primary food source is insects. That means all those annoying moths, spiders, and mosquitoes that lurk in the garden become a veritable buffet for any bats that take up residence.

Not only that, but the beneficial daytime insects such as butterflies and bees will remain unharmed by bat feasting. This improves the local eco-system and will help your chosen plants grow better.

Here are a few Tips and Plants for Attracting Bats to Your Garden.

Bat Flying at Night Poster
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Tips for Attracting Bats

Evening Bat Flying at Night from Nest Hole in Tree, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

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  • Have a water source. This will attract insects, which in turn will attract bats.
  • Provide garden lighting. The right lighting will likewise attract insects, and bats will come for the food source.
  • Plant a bat-friendly garden. Strongly-scented plants will (again) attract insects.
  • Don't use pesticides and insecticides. Bats that eat poisoned insects don't last long.
  • Provide shelter for the bats. There are both pre-made bat houses and kits to build your own bat box readily available. Place the bat box in a location that receives plenty of full-sun to ensure it remains warm enough for the bats.

Types of Plants for a Bat Garden

Short-Tailed Leaf-Nosed Bat (Carollia Perspicillata) Flying, Central and South America.

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  • Evening primrose
  • Four o'clocks
  • Honeysuckle
  • Lavender
  • Lemon balm
  • Marjoram
  • Mint
  • Moonflowers
  • Nicotiana
  • Night phlox
  • Salvia
  • Thyme

Lesser Long-Nosed Bat in Flight Feeding on Agave Blossom, Tuscon, Arizona, USA

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Are bats a desirable addition to your garden?

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Yes they are!

82ndAirborneMedic says:

YES THEY ARE!

Einar_A says:

Yes--in the garden and in the yard, too, because they help control mosquitoes and are fun to watch as they swoop around near dusk!

Evelyn_Saenz says:

Yes! I would love to encourage more bats to visit my garden. Bats have decreased by as much as 90% in the Northeastern part of the United States and Quebec. We need to provide as much bat habitat as possible to encourage recovery of the species.

worldrevivalnetwork says:

I guess so!

kingsrookie says:

Definately going to plant salvia. What can i say? I want to attract bats!

No they aren't!

 
view all 7 comments

Pictures of Bat Houses on Flickr

Ideas for Types of Bat Houses

Bat Box by m.gifford
Bat Box by odonata98
Bat and bird boxes by Chris Winters
Bat Box by bovinity
Bat boxes by foto footprints
Tree house - small & bijou by Dave-F
New Bat House Waiting on Final Permit Inspection by B A Bowen Photography
Bat house by Dano
Bat House by [MP]
DSC_1035 by yaquina
curated content from Flickr

Bat Box Poll

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Pre-built Bat Houses

If you install it, the bats will come!

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Bat Box Kits

Build your own Bat House

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Plans to build your own Bat House

Bat Boxes are easy to build!

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and Bat Box Instruction Books

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Bat Info on the Web

Flickr: bat houses
Bat house pool.
Flickr: Bat Care and Rehabilitation
Bat care pool.
Flickr: Bats
Bat pool.

Do You Have Bats in your Garden?

  • flicker Mar 19, 2012 @ 3:58 pm | delete
    Helpful tips on attracting bats! I enjoy watching them in early evening flying near my house.
  • Einar_A Feb 9, 2012 @ 7:38 pm | delete
    Interesting information about how to attract bats. I enjoy watching them chase mosquitoes just after dark, and have encountered them while caving, also.
  • Evelyn_Saenz Sep 13, 2011 @ 8:41 pm | delete
    Thank you for the list of plants that attract bats. I am continually adding to my perrenial flower beds and now I know which plants to add to attract bats.
  • worldrevivalnetwork Sep 11, 2011 @ 11:23 pm | delete
    I would've never thought of this - great idea!
  • artyfax Mar 27, 2011 @ 2:49 pm | delete
    We live just across the road from a large park which in turn is adjacent to the countryside to the south of Solihull. There are many farms and farm buildings not too far away. So we of course often get bats flying in the garden after dusk. I would love to attract more tho'. Will be studying the information here and trying to make use of it. If it works this summer I will let you know.
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