Growing up near a lake in hot, humid Florida, mosquitoes were as familiar a sight as fresh orange juice at the farmers’ market. I’d spend entire summers desperately scratching the little red bumps that would pop up everywhere from the tips of my ears to the tops of my toes. In college, I learned about the harmful chemicals in the average bug spray, which usually contains DEET, a compound that’s been shown to affect our nervous system and can be toxic to plants and wildlife. So I opted for natural repellents, lathering on lemon and eucalyptus oil for camping trips and cookouts. Still, the mosquitoes prevailed.
But there’s another way to keep the pesky biters at bay that’s both better for us and the environment — one that can be found soaring among the streetlights and treetops at night, and tucked away in nooks and crannies during the day.
The solution? Bats.
The startup BatBnB is on a mission to put bat houses in backyards across the country — and to change people’s preconceptions of the winged critters in the process. Coined as a “natural solution to backyard pest control” and designed with a bat’s unique biology in mind, the sleek wooden boxes attach to the side of a house, garage or barn. The largest model can host up to 200 of the flying mammals.
When it comes to pest control, bats are master feeders — a single one can devour up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour. And that’s good news not just for the sake of our skin, but also for the farmers across the country who rely on bats to eat crop-destroying bugs, including beetles, moths and grasshoppers. A 2011 study estimated farmers save at least $3 billion — and potentially a lot more — in pesticide use when bats are allowed to do their thing.
But today’s bats face numerous challenges that have seen their populations fall worldwide. In the United States, it’s estimated that half of bat species are in severe decline; several are on the endangered species list. Most of the threat comes from the destruction of their roosting habitats. But bats are also increasingly falling victim to wind turbines, and a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome kills millions more.
“Bats are largely roost-limited, and we’ve cut down the ancient forests that included lots of trees with hollows,” Merlin Tuttle, an ecologist and bat expert who consulted on the design of the BatBnB houses, told Mother Nature Network. “A lot of those bats now are pretty desperate for homes, and bat houses do provide a pretty good alternative.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWa7tWLF1s5/
Made from sustainable wood, the long, flat bat houses are elegantly carved and designed to mimic the mammals’ natural habitats. As they researched, co-founders Harrison Broadhurst and Christopher Rännefors learned that bats are picky sleepers, preferring toasty temps and tall, narrow roosting chambers. So they outfitted the houses with interior grooves for the bats to hang onto and vents to control temperature.
The appreciation for bats runs deep for BatBnB’s founders. Rännefors grew up building bat houses with his dad, and Broadhurst’s mom, a biology teacher, incorporated bats into her lessons. Despite a positive ecological impact — bats pollinate flowers and disperse seeds in addition to ridding us of disease-carrying mosquitoes — Rännefors and Broadhurst know that the stigma of bats as human bloodsuckers persists. So as part of their mission, they work to educate consumers on the benefits bats bring. Call it a bat rebranding.
“Bats are radically misunderstood, threatened and undervalued for their insect-eating skills,” Rännefors told Fast Company. “[We hope] more people will respect them.”
Thanks to BatBnB’s efforts — which count proud bat-house owners in 47 states and seven countries — it seems they’re on the right track.
More: People Are Helping Animals Cross Highways — and That’s Great for Humans, Too
Tag: Agricultural Economy
Ohio Takes Their Agriculture Industry to Auction
Haggling and bartering are hardly a pastime, and the familiar auction noises of the bang of the gavel and “sold” are the sounds of hope for economic revitalization. At least that is the intention of Ohio Appalachian famers who replaced the traditional farmer’s market with a good old-fashioned produce auction.
While many famer’s markets are located near major cities, making them too far for many farmers to travel — especially when there’s no guarantee that the produce will sell. In contrast, produce auctions are more accessible to farmers.
The way a produce auction works is simple: On the day of the auction, farmers roll up with cars full of their produce, the auctioneer begins the auction, potential buyers bid on the goods, and famers return home with empty cars. Although the process is long, both growers and buyers leave satisfied.
The first produce auction sprouted in Ohio in 1992 with the help of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation and founders Jean and Marvin Konkle. Today, though, the government barely plays any role in it. The auctions are community funded, as the people sell shares locally to generate the money to start a new auction. Originally operating with a net loss, the past five years have seen an increase in profits for famers. Chesterhill, one of the poorest parts of the Ohio – Appalachian region had a profit of $223,000 for 130 farmers in 2013, while the largest and most cosmopolitan Mount Hope Produce Auction grossed a whopping $10 million in 2011.
Economics isn’t the only benefit, though, as educational classes for the farmers are also part of the deal. Rural Auction, who owns and operates the Chesterhill Auction, offers classes, which train and instruct farmers on how to clean their produce for direct sell as well as to how to improve agricultural processes, which, in turn, has boosted sales and the economy.
The quality and freshness of the food has attracted the attention of the community at large. In addition to the 1,300 registered buyers at the Chesterhill Produce Auction, are 35-40 commercial buyers — including Ohio University. Making the auction more appealing and easier for buyers is the ability to order produce remotely.
Bottom line, both commercial buyers and the community are eager to participate. But why? “At the very basic, basic level, it’s because the food’s better,” said Chef Matt Rapposelli of Ohio University told Dowser. “If you have an opportunity to support a neighbor rather than a corporate entity, you should support the neighbor.”
That support is being felt in a region facing high unemployment, particularly in agriculture. Produce auctions are continuing to pop up across the country, with the number currently at 50. In time, however, these fun community gatherings could be the needed impetus to rejuvenate the agricultural industry nationwide.
MORE: How to Turn a Vending Machine into a Farmer’s Market