By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Ortonville ? Ben Fox, 7, and grandmother Patty Condit of Ortonville work intently over the rough wood boards at the Brandon Senior Center. They’re building a bat house.
In an area of bat-filled attics, why would anyone intentionally invite the winged rodents onto their property?
‘They eat the bugs that bother you,? said Ben.
Bats eat their full body-weight nightly, says DNR Non-Game Wildlife Biologist Ray Rustem, supervisor of the Natural Heritage Unit in Lansing. Although mosquitoes are included in their diet, bats mostly prey on larger insects like moths, expending less energy for more nourishment. Bats also feed on crop-damaging insects like beetles, making them a good garden protector.
Ben and Condit were among nearly 40 residents who gathered to build the houses at the senior center last week.
Grant McGhee, 17, organized the project. In conjunction with a 4-H project, Grant researched mosquito control and bats, approached senior program director Martha Tooley, modified a simple bat house design, pre-cut the wood, and gave a demonstration and one-on-one help to bat house-builders of all ages.
For safety and logistic reasons, Rustem recommends installing bat houses on a pole away from houses and trees that would block sunlight. The animals normally roost in locations receiving six to seven hours of direct sunlight daily. Painting a bat house black may overheat the dwelling, although dark, non-toxic colors are encouraged.
There’s no proven way to attract bats, Rustem says, although wetland locations are more successful due to the congregation of insects.
Ben finds the mammal both ‘nice and scary?.
‘They’re scary because they only fly at night,? he said.
Children are often warned to avoid bats due to stories of hair entanglement. Although getting wound up in hair is a possibility, it’s rare, says Rustem. Rabies, however, is a legitimate concern.
‘Bats are the most common wildlife species in Michigan to test positive for rabies,? said Rustem, who warns not to touch bats found lying on the ground that may be diseased. Dead bats should be moved with a shovel and buried, he said.
For more information on building bat houses, log on to www.batcon.org/bhra/economyhouse.html .