4 Chamber Bat House

It is becoming more widely known that bat populations are in trouble due to disease and loss of habitat; in fact some of the most abundant bat species in North America are currently facing extinction. This is worrisome because bats play a crucial role in a well functioning ecosystem. Bats control insect pests, but they also contribute to plant pollination and seed dispersal, making them as essential to our natural environment as bees and birds. Bats may get less attention because they are nocturnal and their important work takes place largely unseen, but these handcrafted bat boxes are a great way to provide these amazing creatures a safe place to roost, and potentially aid in the recovery of bat populations.

Nine different species of bats can be found in New York state. Of these nine species, 3 are tree dwellers and 6 are cave dwellers. Of these cave dwellers, the types of bats most likely to be found taking up residence in bat houses are the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), and the Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus).