Free Mosquito Control... From Bats!

Forget all the vampire movies and and horror stories about bats, they really are our friends!

To find out how bats help the environment, sign up for the "Ecology of Bats" program on Wed., May 4 at 7 p.m. The free program will show why bats are out least understood allies in against mosquitoes and other insects.

To register, cal the Cheshire Public Library at l 203-272-2245, ext. 4. 

In the meantime here are some bat facts provided by the state Department of Environmental Protection about the world's only flying mammal:

• A single little brown bat can eat 1200 mosquitoes in an hour.
• Bats do not get caught in people’s hair. Bats that swoop near people are usually after insects such as mosquitoes.
• There are almost 1,000 different species of bats in the world, but only 8 are found in Connecticut.
• The smallest bat is the size of a small mouse; the largest, a fruit eater, has a 6-foot wingspan.
• Bats have varied diets: 70 percent eat insects; many tropical species eat fruit or drink flower nectar; some bats even catch frogs and fish.

The Several bat species reside on our property but are declining in the state/region. One popular technique to monitor bats is by using bat houses. We have selected over 50 locations for bat houses on our property. The houses have been built by Torrington High School Technology Education classes and Wamogo Agricultural Education Natural Resources Program. Interns and volunteers are currently installing the bat houses throughout the property. The monitoring program will extend for several subsequent years after this initial setup and it will be carried out by the members and other volunteers.