Has anyone had success controlling mosquitoes with bats?

I'm in Haiti. Thinking of building a bathouse here to encourage bats to eat mosquitoes.

I found a bunch of plans to build bathouses at www.batcon.org

i see a lot of people on the internet talking about how bats eat a lot of mosquitoes, but I haven't seen a successful case study where building a bathouse led to less mosquitoes.

Has this method worked for anyone?

Do you have native bats in Haiti? (honest question, I just don't know). You have to have enough around nearby to find your habitat. Bats also have socio-religious stigmas and implications you need to deal with, especially in Haiti.

Goldfish are great at eating larvae in any tank or small pond, cheap in the states but probably not an option for you. Even then you still have all the puddles to deal with.

Are there native birds that eat mosquitoes? I would build houses for any native bird that eats any bugs, too.

Or predator insects? or frogs?

If you have the resources, building habitat for all of them would be good in the long run.

Chikungunya is just the latest round of horribleness in Haiti, there will be more.

Someone called adversity a blessing--Haiti's cup runneth over.

Yeah, I have chikungunya.

I think there are bats here. There are definitely dragonflies and various birds, but I'm not sure if they eat mosquitoes.

I don't think it's possible to address the problem at the breeding site. They're breeding in puddles, rain pooled in trash, gutters etc. It's impossible. I'm in the city.

Hi Lawrence, et al,

Yes there are many species of bats in Haiti and in the West Indies in general...try contacting someone affiliated with the BCA (Bat Conservation international.)

Here are some other links you may find useful.

http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAV066.pdf

http://zwazoyo.blogspot.com/2011/08/bats-of-haiti.html

http://www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com/ha-animals.html

As for "site specific" control of mosquitoes...bats will help...yet it is very hard to combat these pest in an great magnatuted and an all out, multi species effort is needed. Dragonflies eat a lot of mosquitoes too. Personal protection with clothing and oils is also a must if you are prone to there attack.

Regards,

j

The bats we had around here probably help, but there is always enough mosquitoes around to still bite.

I try to wear long sleeves, green/black colored shirts, don't wear white, it is like waving a flag to every bug...'come bite me'. I try not to eat bananas, I think the mosquitoes can smell it on me, & seek it out. Safety glasses seem to help keep bugs out my eyes.

I made a concoction this year which has worked very well and lasts about 4 hours. I've used fresh spicebush leaves from around my place, I simply crush them and smeer on exposed skin & some on your boots & clothes too. This year tho, I put some spicebush leaves crushed into a half bottle of rubbing alcohol, the liquid turned dark green within 24 hrs., I strained out the leaves and mixed the alcohol with some baby lotion (the alcohol evaporates too quickly to be used by itself). This works good, but the baby lotion stings my eyes when the sweat melts into them, also it might stain your clothes.

Maybe you have found a local plant that bugs don't eat the leaves, smells strong, maybe some mint plants, garlic might work...but it really stinks!!! Maybe your local people know of a local plant that they use to smeer on their skin? I'm sure spicebush has worked for me, but there are bound to be other bug repellant plants, that are safe on your skin. I found the spicebush leaves... out of a sheer mosquito emergency...they were trying to run me out of the woods, and I was caught without any 'bugoff', and I couldn't believe it when the crushed leaves allowed me to continue working.

james beam

There are definitely Haitian bats, but I am in the city and I am not sure if there are still populations around here.

Jay C. White Cloud - those links are great. Thanks.

A few people mentioned predatory birds as well. I guess I could build a few birdhouses and a few bathouses and see what happens?