BATtallion

This group was inspired by the possibility that bats could reduce or eliminate our town’s intensive mosquito spraying program. Making a bat house could draw in these mosquito eaters, thereby serving as a form of biological pest control. Students talked to city council and the head of the mosquito control program, who gave them permission to erect the box. In fact, the city provided the cement and helped with the labor to install it along the “green walkway”, in the Spring of 2001.

Researching the local bat specie’s biology, students determined their habitat requirements: proximity to water and good sun exposure so warmth is retained for the night. This group spent most of their time designing and building a “bat-shaped” home, big enough for a large community (1st three images from left);

they covered the bathouse with shingles (next 2 images, including back view).

BATtallion’s installation made the local newspaper (last image to the right).