4-H Goes Batty!
School is in full swing and in Avoyelles Parish, and 4-H'ers recently had the opportunity to build a bat box to attract bats to their environment at the first workshop of the school year.
Have the 4-H'ers gone batty? No, they just want to help eradicate pesky insects from their environments, and bats are a super way to do just that.
Traditionally, people have gotten rid of mosquitoes with noisy bug zappers or with pesticides, but bats are a very efficient way to get rid of insects with very little cost. And they are not dangerous -- despite how folklore would have it.
Did you know that 50 percent of the species of bats today are on the endangered species list and that some are already extinct? Why are bats vanishing at alarming rates? Deforestation is a large part of the problem. Without large areas to roost, these creatures are becoming homeless.
Bats are an important part of the earth’s ecosystem because they eat so many insects. They can eat 600-1,200 in one hour and they also live in colonies in small spaces. This is wonderful news for farmers who want to protect their crops from hungry insects.
Consider building a bat box for your backyard. You’ll enjoy being a part of conservation in Louisiana. Also, we need bats, and bats need us. There are benefits for both of our species.
This 4-H woodworking project was sponsored in part by two local businesses; Robert Lemoine Building Supply and Elder Wood Preserving. Many thanks to the parent volunteers and to our 4-H Junior Leaders for helping us with this very worthwhile 4-H project.
Pictures from the workshop are below. To view additional pictures click here.
[Image: Bat box workshop]
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[Image: Bat box workshop] | [Image: 4-H workshop]
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[Image: 4-H]
[Image: Bat box workshop]
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