The Wonderful World of Bats and Bugs

Echo-locating bats adjust their vocalizations to catch insects against a changing environmental background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bugs, bats, toads, and other creepy-crawlies are creatures most people avoid at all costs. The sneaky natures and offensive exteriors of these pests often elicit great fear in people. In actuality however, these creatures are not only beneficial to human and environmental health, but they are also highly sought after by some gardeners and homeowners. As contradictory as this may sound, bats, toads, and bugs can be helpful to homes and gardens.

The Benefits of Bats and Bugs

Bats and bugs serve an enormous purpose in the gardens and lawns. Here are just a few benefits of increasing the bat and bug populations around your home:

Bats

Bats can eat more than their body weight in insects such as mosquitoes, mites, and beetles. For vegetable gardeners, beetles and mites are among the most problematic and hard-to-treat insects in the veggie garden, so having a few bats around can actually improve crop yields. You can attract bats to your property by building a bat house near a water source, even a small source such as a bird bath. Contrary to popular belief, bats will not try to suck the blood of humans. This myth has been detrimental to many gardeners’ success in growing healthy, pest-free crops.

Bugs

An insect can be a pest or a friend. The difference lies in the species, as each insect variety has its own food preferences and habits. Harmful insects that feed on plant materials, wood, and home furnishings are perhaps among the biggest problems rural and urban homeowners face. Luckily, by increasing the number of beneficial insects in the garden, one can decrease the population of harmful bugs and increase plant proliferation.

Most beneficial bugs can be purchased at any gardening center. You can also attract such bugs planting certain aromatic herbs and flowers. You can attract bees by growing sunflowers in the spring and summer garden. Speak to a local garden center professional to discover the best methods for attracting the beneficial insects common in your area.