Going batty can be a great way to help control unwanted insect pests. Bats eat mosquitoes as about 10 percent of their overall diet, and a lot of other annoying insects as well, including the moths that are the adults of the infamous “bole weevil” and “corn ear worm”. Bats consume from about 60 to 90 percent of their body mass per night.

Some argue that bats are not effective as mosquito control, since they only consume about 10 percent as a part of their diet, and that bats and birds can only consume a small part of the millions of insects. The argument also states that insect populations increase at a rate so high that no purely physical means of dealing with them is effective.

To counter this argument, let me say this:

• If the mosquito populations are that high in an area, there are other factors that need to be dealt with, such as draining the swamp you are living in!
• That each mosquito removed from the population at large, is one less mosquito to bite you, one less potential disease hazard, and one less left to breed and carry on the species!
• That the numbers of bats should be commensurate with the mosquito population if this is used as a means of controlling them.
• That the use of biological controls such as birds and bats should be a single part of a much wider Integrated Pest Management system. No one I know who uses these control methods thinks that the use of bats is all that one need do to control mosquitoes.

As a part of our services we now offer custom bat houses, built and installed to your specific needs.

As I am writing, the wind is picking up as the outer edges of IKE reach into the part of Texas where I live. The projection maps seem to indicate that the main force of the storm will travel right over the top of of us. Not much we can do about that, but just brace for it, and wait it out. We expect to see power outages in the next few hours, so this may be the last chance to post for a while.

I thought a little post storm Mosquito prevention might be appropriate at this point.

When the storm passes, here are a few things you can do:

• Draining all those low areas that hold water will give you an advantage in the battle against the little bloodsuckers.

• In areas that can’t be drained, and that aren’t so big as to be impractical, a mist of mineral, or vegetable oil sprayed over the waters surface will prevent some of the breeding problems until a more permanent drainage solution can be accomplished.

• Empty such items as unused pet dishes, tubs, or any other receptacles that may hold water on your property.

• If you have overgrown vegetation around your place, getting rid of it asap will help by getting rid of cover, and allow birds and bats to take more of them out.

• There are botanical products on the market which work pretty well, if you have temporary infestation problems, and compared to the risk of Malaria, or West Nile Virus, even commercial chemical products don’t look so bad.