December 10, 20187 yr I'm building a detached garage in my backyard this spring, and I can't decide whether I should add an owl den or a bat hut to it. Bats will help with the mosquitoes (always an issue in the summer) and owls would help with mice and other varmints (not really a problem I have). I think both animals are pretty cool, but I think owls are cooler. I'm in suburban Chicago, fairly close to a forest preserve. Doomlet (currently 3.5 years old) and a dog to be adopted this summer will play in the yard, and I'll be coming and going regularly since my cars will be in there. I could see a greater potential for issues regarding territoriality with owls than bats, and obviously higher stakes since they're raptors with talons and shit. Any suggestions or advice as to which type of house I should mount to my garage? Edited December 10, 20187 yr by Prepuce of Doom
December 10, 20187 yr I read somewhere that bats don't eat as many mosquitoes as previously thought. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20160706/bats-mosquitoes-zika#1
December 10, 20187 yr Picturing an owl just hooting all night on your bedroom window ledge. [emoji444][emoji445] ... For six nights in a row. [emoji445][emoji444]
December 10, 20187 yr Aren’t bats protected? As in, if you build a bat hut, once it’s inhabited by bats you can’t remove it? Years ago had a coworker who had a ton of bats start living in her attic, and it was hell to get rid of them because they were a protected species. Or some shit like that.
December 10, 20187 yr Be careful with the design. The archetect screwed up my owlery by using a circular staircase for access.
December 10, 20187 yr Let's see: 1. I've never heard of anyone having to get a rabies shot because they touched a dead owl. 2. Bats eat mosquitoes, but they do this work somewhere else, i.e. I don't think they hang around your house specifically all night long. 3. Bats leave town when it's cold, so they aren't doing this bug work on a year 'round schedule. 4. Bats never did tell anyone how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop, did they? Nope. 5. Owls could possibly get down on all outdoor cats, & apparently Shag don't like cats, so there's that. 6. Owls are just plain cool. 7. Has Owlvis voted yet?
December 10, 20187 yr 44 minutes ago, ROFL BOX said: Let's see: 3. Bats leave town when it's cold, so they aren't doing this bug work on a year 'round schedule. Bugs aren't exactly an issue in the Midwest when it's cold. They leave town, too. I vote owl but I'll bet you 2 bucks you never get an owl to inhabit your space. Just get one of those plastic ones and call it good.
December 10, 20187 yr Author I suppose the risk of histoplasmosis is a bit of an argument against the bats. I think that I'm leaning towards an owl box, but am interested in gathering further helpful and not helpful feedback.
December 10, 20187 yr Owls are cooler and won't give you rabies. Owls. What are you going to do about the Rice, Temple and Florida Atlantic fans that will congregate in the fall on your lawn?
December 10, 20187 yr 1 hour ago, miguelito said: Bat guano is good fertilizer. and a helluva soldier.
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