Bats, people, and buildings: issues and opportunities

Abstract

Bats are amazing animals. They are among the best flyers of the natural world and are able to maneuver in the dark to intersect small flying insects. Bats consume large quantities of insects, and this helps hold down the populations of pests that could otherwise destroy agricultural crops and forests. Bats also pollinate many species of plants that provide us with food and medicine. Most people in the United States view bats as pests, and this view has undoubtedly contributed to precipitous declines for some species. However, in much of Europe, bats are protected and measures are taken to incorporate bat housing into buildings and bat-friendly habitat into neighborhoods. Many bat species in the United States also take advantage of human structures. With good design, bat housing could be incorporated into buildings and other structures and could provide support for U.S. bat populations. This publication provides an overview of resources available to help people who want to support bats with their existing structures and/or new building projects.

Keywords

Bats, buildings

Citation

Pfeiffer, Martin J. 2019. Bats, people, and buildings: issues and opportunities. Gen. Tech. Rep. FPL-GTR-265. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 9 p.