Bat population in trouble!

[Brandi]

I used to be so scared of bat's till I educated myself on them and now realize how important they are to our world. NPR has reported that they are very sick. It is not a good thing for us. They are so important to keep things in check with the bug population. I sure hope they figure it out. Here is a link to Talk of the nation were they talked about it. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89764381&ft=1&f=5
And a really good book that really changed my feelings twords bat's was a book called "A Bat in my pocket". It was a short story about a lady who helps bat's. A GREAT Book for teachers I think. Just to appeal to kids and get them to realize how cool they really are! I think they are way cool now!
I f I had heard or read this story when I was a kid I might not have been unrealistically scared of bat's as an adult.

[Trek420]

My brother has a couple of bat houses in the trees surrounding his home. I would like to do the same in my next hovel. You can hardly see these small houses and the bats control insects which means less work for them.

Somewhere on this board is discussion of what it takes to have your home certified as a backyard habitat for animals :D

Till then I have a few bird feeders and a bird bath, a small garden in front and patio. We're loosing bats, and bees and they are so important. I enjoy seeing the bees around the lavender and other plants in front. Cross training, add "curb appeal" and maybe save the planet :rolleyes: ..... garden :)

www.batconservation.org

[mimitabby]

our planet is suffering from an infestation of humans.
all the other creatures are being harmed by it.
I guess we'd better start having less kids.

and NO you are not being selfish when you decide to not have kids.

[Trek420]

I've done my bit. I forgot to have children :eek: How'd that happen :confused: :rolleyes: ;)

[Brandi]

our planet is suffering from an infestation of humans.
all the other creatures are being harmed by it.
I guess we'd better start having less kids.

and NO you are not being selfish when you decide to not have kids.
I forgot to have them too! But everyone else seems to have enough to go around these days!

[IFjane]

Wow! I had no idea. We were sitting on our deck last night watching at least 3 bats soar and dive for bugs. We love them!!! Oh I hope the disease is discovered and cured before it migrates to our bats in VA!:eek:

[singletrackmind]

We have a couple of bat houses but so far no takers. Maybe I should offer free cable and a pool?

[sgtiger]

Have you tried peanut butter in the bat houses? At least, that's what a couple of natural gardeners in the PNW recommended to me a long time ago when I helped with community green projects. We helped local elementary kids build bat houses for public spaces when they were learning about bats for an Earth club project during high school. I don't know if different types of bats from different regions would have a preference for something else though.

[sgtiger]

our planet is suffering from an infestation of humans.
all the other creatures are being harmed by it.
I guess we'd better start having less kids.

and NO you are not being selfish when you decide to not have kids.

True, it was not an easy decision when I decided to have more than one. And I agree that it's not selfish at all for people to decide not to have any.


I've done my bit. I forgot to have children :eek: How'd that happen :confused: :rolleyes: ;)


I forgot to have them too! But everyone else seems to have enough to go around these days!

Yep, if you want, you can come visit mine. I figure it's a win/win for all. You get to spend some time playing with them while I get a break, then just return them when you're done.:rolleyes:;):D

[Tuckervill]

our planet is suffering from an infestation of humans.
all the other creatures are being harmed by it.
I guess we'd better start having less kids.

and NO you are not being selfish when you decide to not have kids.

And you're not being selfish when you decide TO have kids. :confused::rolleyes:

Karen

[Trek420]

Yep, if you want, you can come visit mine. I figure it's a win/win for all. You get to spend some time playing with them while I get a break, then just return them when you're done.:rolleyes:;):D

Ah, like a lending library. :) No thanks. I get to visit Knott's kid and he's a teenager, and a jeeenious :D also two nieces, one nephew, one great nephew. And with the DPITA (my ex) I was very involved in helping raise her 4 nieces, one nephew.

And Tuck (and I call you Tuck for short?), people who have kids are not selfish. Those kids may grow up to find the solution.

Sound of new-age'y music in the background, maybe some Yani :rolleyes: I think of uhm what is the term statis? The body has a tendency to balance itself? Drink too much water....you gotta pee, too much salt .... you need water etc. Well at a certain point the earth just goes "that's it, I've had enough of this".

It's very fragile, the conditions that allow us to live here.

It's not so much NPR or the internet, I recommend you find an old farmer in your area. Someone who's been farming for years. Ask them about changes they see in weather, bird migrations, crops right where you are. You may be surprised, shocked.

Mother Earth bats last :o

[mimitabby]

And you're not being selfish when you decide TO have kids. :confused::rolleyes:

Karen

Speaking only for members of my own family, I'd say that, yes, some people DO have children for very selfish reasons, actually. and later, when there are problems, or not enough finances, they shrug their shoulders and solve the problem by having another baby to distract themselves from the mess their older children have become.

[Trek420]

But back to the OP, I think population is a problem but so many have lost the idea of stewardship of the earth. We are part of the earth (more new age'y music in the background, perhaps some indigenous peoples music) and just one of G*d, Gaia's, the Great Pumpkin ... whoever you follows creatures.

We borrow the earth from our children and our children's children. So maybe you think "it's just bats" but the bats control ____ and are in turn eaten by ____ and when the bats go the _____ are out of control and the _____ starve and ya know it won't take long to reach us. :(

We're animals too :rolleyes:

[bmccasland]

We have a couple of bat houses but so far no takers. Maybe I should offer free cable and a pool?

Bats do migrate, so maybe they haven't made it to Missouri yet. Along with the free cable and pool, you should have some moths on leashes for them :p Welcome to your new home presents :D

[7rider]

Wow.
I had no idea. Thanks for sharing this, Brandi.
DH and I love our bats...we love to go out at sunset and watch them work the neighborhood. They are soooo important for all of us (but, wow...I had no idea there were so many species represented locally).
I hope they find out what's going on with them.
From someone else who "forgot" to have children...despite the constant onslaught of reminders of a life centered around junior....

[Tuckervill]

My friend and I were so disappointed when we went to Austin for SXSW and the bats had not yet come back to the Bat Bridge.

http://www.batcon.org/home/index.asp?idPage=50

Karen

[Brandi]

It's funny I used to be terrified of bat's! they scared the heck out of me. But I realize they are not what i thought. I think I saw to many horror flicks growing up.
I just hope they find out what is wrong with these little guys. But sometimes mother nature does do these things on purpose. to balance things out, I undestand that. And maybe that is it. I mean last year they were freaking out over the bee population dropping and now I don't hear a single word about it?

[sundial]

We usually have a couple bats come out at dusk. I hope they don't disappear this year because I have a feeling we are going to have a swarm of mosquitoes of biblical proportions because of the all the flooding. :eek:

[singletrackmind]

Bats do migrate, so maybe they haven't made it to Missouri yet. Along with the free cable and pool, you should have some moths on leashes for them :p Welcome to your new home presents :D

Oh, they're here. We've seen them flitting about in the evenings. Maybe I'd better try some peanut butter coated moths and some mosquito mints on their pillows.
It's not like the neighborhood's seedy or anything like that. Well, I did just plant a mess of vegetable seeds, but it's not like there's hooker bats on the corner or anything.
Or maybe that's the problem?

[Meaux]

This makes me so sad! I love bats! (I even have one tattooed on my left shoulder.) I read somewhere that bats can eat up to a pound of insects a night. Makes me wish I had my own house so I could have a bat house.

[Mr. Bloom]

My condo association has just made a donation to an organization that installs free bat houses - my condos are a designated "natural habitat".

I'm looking out my window right now watching them flying around...eating mosquitos!:D:D

I see 15 right now!

They look happy!

[Brandi]

That is so cool Mr Silver! I wish I was there watching it with you!