If you've lived on the Alabama Gulf Coast for more than five minutes, you've probably discovered two things: we can grow just about anything, and the mosquitoes think we're part of the buffet.
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If you've lived on the Alabama Gulf Coast for more than five minutes, you've probably discovered two things: we can grow just about anything, and the mosquitoes think we're part of the buffet.
Between our warm temperatures, frequent summer rains, wetlands, bayous, marshes and countless backyard ponds, South Alabama provides the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. It seems like every afternoon thunderstorm creates another generation of them. We spend hundreds of dollars each year on bug sprays, citronella candles, mosquito dunks, foggers and expensive pest control services, yet somehow they always seem to come back.
But what if the best mosquito control wasn't something you bought at the store?
What if it was something nature has already perfected?
One of the greatest pest control teams on the Gulf Coast isn't found on a garden center shelf. It comes with wings.
Bats and dragonflies are two of the hardest-working animals in our ecosystem, and they quietly provide one of the most valuable services to gardeners, farmers and homeowners every single day.
One thing I've learned over years of gardening is that nature usually has a solution before we invent one.
Every creature has a purpose, even the ones that aren't exactly cute and cuddly.
Many people are surprised when I tell them that bats are one of my favorite wildlife species to encourage around a garden. They immediately picture scary movies or Halloween decorations, but the reality couldn't be more different.
Here in Alabama, bats are among our greatest allies.
Our state is home to 16 species of native bats, and the wonderful news is that every one of them is insectivorous. Unlike the fruit bats found in tropical regions or the nectar-feeding bats that pollinate agave and cactus flowers in the Southwest, every native bat in Alabama survives almost entirely on insects.
That means they spend every night doing exactly what gardeners wish something would do, eating bugs.
As the sun begins setting over the Gulf Coast, another work crew clocks in.
While we're finishing dinner or relaxing on the porch, bats begin flying over our fields, neighborhoods, forests and gardens searching for their evening meal.
A single bat can consume hundreds to well over a thousand insects during one night depending on the species, insect size and feeding conditions.
While mosquitoes are certainly on the menu, they aren't the only thing bats eat — and honestly, that's even better news for gardeners.
Bats also feast on moths, beetles, flies, gnats, flying ants, leafhoppers, stink bugs, cucumber beetles, June beetles and many other insects that damage our landscapes and vegetable gardens.
Think about the tomato hornworms that stripped your tomatoes last summer.
Those hornworms begin life as large moths.
Armyworms?
Also moths.
Cutworms?
Another moth.
Every adult moth a bat catches is one less insect laying hundreds of eggs in your vegetable garden.
That's natural pest control working before the damage even starts.
For farmers throughout Baldwin County, bats quietly provide millions of dollars worth of pest control every year without charging a dime.
If bats work the overnight shift, dragonflies proudly work the daytime hours.
Dragonflies are some of the most efficient mosquito hunters on Earth. They snatch mosquitoes right out of the air with remarkable speed and precision, often consuming hundreds of small insects each day.
What's even more impressive is that dragonflies begin controlling mosquitoes before they ever grow wings.
Their underwater young, called nymphs, spend months living beneath the surface of ponds, marshes and wetlands where they feed heavily on mosquito larvae.
That means dragonflies attack mosquitoes during both stages of their life cycle.
On the Gulf Coast, where water is everywhere, dragonflies are incredibly important members of our ecosystem.
A healthy pond filled with dragonflies can make a noticeable difference in mosquito numbers around your property.
When you combine dragonflies during the day with bats at night, you've created nearly twenty-four-hour natural insect control.
For decades, many Southerners have believed that purple martins are mosquito-eating machines.
I grew up hearing it, and chances are you did, too.
The truth, however, is a little different.
Purple martins absolutely are beneficial birds. They're beautiful to watch, enjoyable to attract, and they consume many flying insects.
But scientific studies examining their diets have consistently shown that mosquitoes make up only a very small percentage of what they eat.
Why?
Timing.
Purple martins hunt during the daytime, usually high in the sky.
Mosquitoes are most active near the ground during dusk, dawn and nighttime.
The two simply aren't in the same place at the same time very often.
Research has even shown that purple martins sometimes eat dragonflies — one of the best mosquito predators we have.
Does that mean we shouldn't encourage purple martins?
Absolutely not.
They're wonderful native birds that deserve a place in our landscapes.
It simply reminds us that old Southern sayings aren't always supported by modern science. As gardeners, we should always be willing to learn something new when good research becomes available.
One of the easiest ways to invite bats onto your property is by installing a bat house.
Not all bat houses are created equal, though.
Choose a design built from rough, untreated wood with narrow interior chambers that allow bats to grip comfortably. Mount the house on a pole or the side of a building 10 to 20 feet above the ground rather than on a tree. Trees provide easier access for predators like raccoons and snakes and can obstruct the bats' flight path.
Here on the Gulf Coast, where our summers are long and hot, place the bat house where it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. A south- or southeast-facing location usually works well.
Adding a water source nearby makes your property even more attractive. A pond, fountain, birdbath with gentle edges, or small water garden gives bats a safe place to drink while flying.
Another way to help is by planting native flowers that support healthy insect populations. Evening primrose, native yuccas and other night-blooming flowers attract nocturnal insects, which in turn attract hungry bats.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is reduce pesticide use.
When we blanket our landscapes with broad-spectrum insecticides, we don't just kill mosquitoes, we eliminate moths, beetles, native bees, butterflies, dragonflies, lacewings, ladybugs and the insects bats rely on for survival.
A healthy ecosystem needs insects.
Not every insect is a pest.
One mistake many homeowners make is installing a bat house and expecting bats to move in the following weekend.
Nature doesn't usually work that way. Sometimes bats occupy a new house within weeks. Other times it may take one or even two years before the first residents arrive. That doesn't mean the house failed. It simply means the local bats haven't discovered it yet.
Once they do, they return year after year.
There's another surprising benefit to encouraging bats.
Bat guano has long been considered one of the finest organic fertilizers available.
Rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, beneficial microbes and trace minerals, it naturally feeds plants while improving soil structure.
Gardeners have used bat guano for centuries to encourage lush leafy growth, healthier root systems, stronger flowering and increased fruit production.
It also helps improve sandy Gulf Coast soils by increasing their ability to hold moisture while adding beneficial microbial life.
Many gardeners place a removable plastic tray beneath a bat house to collect small amounts of guano for use around vegetable gardens, flower beds or fruit trees. Others simply plant shrubs or ornamental trees beneath bat houses so nutrients naturally work into the soil.
If handling guano, always wear gloves and a dust mask. Like any natural animal waste, it should be treated with respect and handled safely.
While bats are incredibly beneficial, they should never be handled with bare hands.
Like all wild mammals, bats can occasionally carry diseases, including rabies, although only a very small percentage do. If you find an injured bat or one inside your home, avoid direct contact and contact a licensed wildlife professional or your local animal control office for assistance.
Admire bats from a distance and allow them to continue doing what they do best.
Unfortunately, many bat populations across North America have suffered dramatic declines.
Habitat loss, removal of old hollow trees, disturbance of cave systems and a devastating fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome have significantly reduced many bat colonies.
Several Alabama species receive state or federal protection because of these ongoing threats.
Every old tree removed, every cave disturbed and every unnecessary pesticide application affects these remarkable animals.
Protecting bats means protecting our farms, forests, gardens and food supply.
As gardeners, we sometimes feel like we have to fight nature every step of the way.
Maybe we've been looking at it backwards.
Instead of asking, "What chemical should I spray?" perhaps we should ask, "What beneficial wildlife can I encourage?"
A backyard filled with native plants, dragonflies, bats, bees, butterflies, birds and healthy soil becomes a balanced ecosystem where pests are far less likely to get out of control.
Here on the Gulf Coast, we are fortunate to live in one of the richest ecosystems in the country. From our longleaf pine forests and coastal marshes to our backyard gardens, every species plays a role in keeping nature in balance.
So the next time you see a bat darting across the evening sky or a dragonfly hovering over your garden after a summer rain, don't chase it away.
Smile.
That little creature is probably saving you money, protecting your tomatoes, reducing mosquito numbers and making your evening on the porch just a little more enjoyable.
Sometimes the best pest control isn't found in a spray bottle. Sometimes it arrives on silent wings, works all night for free and asks for nothing more than a safe place to call home.
