Attracting bats in the garden: 5 methods

There are around 25 different bat species in Germany, all of which are protected because their habitats are dwindling. You can help conserve species with a bat-friendly garden. This is how bats are attracted.

Create varied structures

In order to attract bats into the garden, different landscape elements are advantageous. There are some specieswho prefer the open meadow or mainly hunt in the forest, the majority of bat species appreciate a varied garden.

The structural elements only help indirectly in attracting the bats, because the more varied a home garden can be is designed, the greater the variety of insects, the food source of the native ones Bat species. Some elements also have a direct use for you, such as old trees with caves where they can find shelter.

A home garden that is bat-friendly should include some of these elements:

• domestic shrub hedge
• old trees (preferably Deciduous trees)
• Flower meadow
• Waste wood pile

When redesigning a garden, for example, thuja can be removed in favor of native shrubs. Of the race can also be easily converted into a flower meadow, making it attractive to insects and requiring less maintenance.

Create water points

A special element in the garden that needs to be highlighted are water points. Water points have a positive effect on the microclimate in the garden and are one of the most important methods of attracting bats. In the area of ​​water holes there are many insects that the bats hunt for. The advantage is that even at dusk, when the bat is active, insects are still buzzing around the water points.

Water points can be designed differently. Even a small garden pond is an important contribution to attracting these insect hunters. However, a higher density of insects has calm to standing water. A garden pond that is constantly in motion offers living things in the water a very good habitat. For insects that live near the water, however, such areas are less attractive.

Offer shelter

In addition to a rich supply of food, a shelter is one of the most important features of a garden in order to attract bats. Those who cannot offer natural hiding spots such as attics or old trees should go Bat boxes To fall back on. Of the approximately 25 native species, 16 bat species have so far been shown to accept bat boxes as a suitable shelter. How valuable a bat box is is shown by the fact that especially endangered species such as the lesser horseshoe bat are happy to accept these hiding places.

Tip: Collect the bats' droppings under the bat box. It is a valuable fertilizer in the garden that is rich in nutrients.

Species that use lofts or tree hollows as roosts prefer to nest in bat boxes. Due to the decline in suitable shelter options, even more species could use this offer in the future.

You can easily build a bat box yourself using a few pieces of wood. There is no such thing as an optimal bat box because, as has been shown, the bats definitely prefer variations. It is important that you avoid artificial components. This includes, for example, paint or roofing felt as weather protection.

However, every bat box should have some characteristics:

• Flat box shape is an advantage
• sloping front
• only use untreated wood
• large gap opening on the underside as an approach lane
• rough or corrugated approach board for a better grip

Note: The gap opening should have a width of 20 to 25 mm. This makes it wide enough that pregnant females of larger species can also fly in.

Ensure food supply

A set table is one of the best ways to establish a bat population in your home garden. In addition to the elements described, such as a structurally rich house garden or water points, you can use plants to attract insects that serve as a source of food for the bats.

For example, you can create your own bat patch in the home garden. You should preferably plant this with species that bloom at night. This makes nocturnal insects, like Moth lured.

Suitable plants for attracting bats are, for example:

• Perennial silver leaf (Lunaria rediviva)
• Common catchfly (Silene vulgaris)
• Gold lacquer (Cheiranthus cheirii)
• Evening primrose (Oenothera spec.)
• Narrow-leaved willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium)
• Herbaceous phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Do not use poison

In a home garden that is supposed to be bat-friendly, you should refrain from using pesticides. Insects weakened by pesticides are easy prey for bats. On average, a bat eats up to a third of its body weight per night, which means that larger species in particular can eat up to ten grams in one night. A bat can eat up to one kilogram of insects over the summer.

Even a few poisoned insects can weaken a bat so much that they become easy prey for enemies such as house cats or martens. Larger amounts of poisoned insects can even kill the bat.

Tip: If you have a pest problem in the garden, try primarily natural means to control it. Often times, attracting bats can even fix a problem with flying insect pests.

frequently asked Questions