Q&A - Do bat houses reduce mosquitoes?

Q: We saw a bat house at a craft sale. They said bats would help keep mosquitoes down in our yard. Is that true?

A: Yes and no, as I understand it. We’ve hung a few bat-houses for customers, and I researched this topic when considering one for my yard. They will absolutely reduce the volume of flying bugs at dusk in your yard, and mosquitoes are tops on that list.

Purchasing and installing the bat house is easy. If they don’t occupy it, you will not get the desired benefit. This is where the difficulty comes in. If bats have a comfy place, they will return to it as creatures of habit. You need bats that have been displaced to find the house you installed. There is no way of projecting how long it will take to be occupied, if ever, once it’s installed.