1. The Loss of Bat Resources and How We Can Help

2. Food Ohio bats are insectivorous Water Need fresh drinking water Water also attracts insects Shelter Diversity of habitat Loose tree bark and small tree cavities Old (or sometimes new!) barns, buildings, and structures Air Just like us, bats need to breathe fresh air!

3. Food We spray pesticides on our crops Water We pollute our waterways with toxins We dam, reroute, or otherwise alter natural waterways Shelter We urbanize areas, cutting down forests We demolish old buildings that could already house bats If we find bats in our homes, we kill them immediately We explore and vandalize caves where bats hibernate Air Industrialization has led to air pollution

4. If we build it, they will come! Bat boxes are inexpensive and easy to make Designs include: Traditional wooden house Large “condos” on stilts Towers

5. Bat condo at Oak Openings Preserve Single chamber bat boxes Sugarloaf Key Bat Tower, Florida, 1929

6. The #1 cause of bat box “failure” is poor placement Bats must be able to fulfill all of their needs immediately around their roost The availability of 5 main needs will determine whether a box will be successful: Water and food Shelter Warmth Protection Clear flight path

7. Water and food Box should be within ¼ mile of water Box should not be near any heavy pesticide use areas Shelter Box should be amidst diverse habitat Box should be near an existing roost if possible Warmth Box should receive 6 - 10 hours of direct sunlight per day Box should face SE to SW for maximum exposure Protection Box should be mounted on pole, not on tree Easier to find; protection from tree-climbing predators Box should be away from roads Clear flight path Box should be 20 ft. away from branches, wires, etc.

8. Land Management teams have an important but difficult job First, they must make sure that we conserve as much bat habitat as possible Second, when we decide to build a bat box, they must make sure there is a good location

10. Bat Conservation Trust, http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/threats_to_bats.htmlhttp://www.bats.org.uk/pages/threats_to_bats.html Association of Zoos and Aquariums, https://www.aza.org/uploadedFiles/Education/Resources_for_Educators/Thema tic_Educational_Activities/Threats%20to%20Bats.pdf https://www.aza.org/uploadedFiles/Education/Resources_for_Educators/Thema tic_Educational_Activities/Threats%20to%20Bats.pdf Bat Conservation and Management, http://www.batmanagement.com/Batcentral/batboxes/choosingsite.html http://www.batmanagement.com/Batcentral/batboxes/choosingsite.html Organization for Bat Conservation, http://www.batconservation.org/bat- houses/where-to-placehttp://www.batconservation.org/bat- houses/where-to-place actionbioscience, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/tchankoshvili.html http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/tchankoshvili.html Ohio Division of Wildlife, http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and- habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/little-brown-bathttp://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and- habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/little-brown-bat Field of Dreams (screenshot), Universal Pictures, 1989 Wikipedia, Sugar Loaf Key Bat Tower, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Key_Bat_Tower http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Key_Bat_Tower Habibat, http://www.habibat.co.uk/about-habibat/http://www.habibat.co.uk/about-habibat/