That is very alarming, KK. Below is another report by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). "What we've seen so far is unprecedented,'' said Alan Hicks, DEC's bat specialist. "Most bat researchers would agree that this is the gravest threat to bats they have ever seen. We have bat researchers, laboratories and caving groups across the country working to understand the cause of the problem and ways to contain it. Until we know more, we are asking people to stay away from known bat caves." Bat biologists across the country are evaluating strategies to monitor the presence of the disease and collect specimens for laboratory analysis. Biologists are taking precautions - using sanitary clothing and respirators when entering caves -- to avoid spreading the disease in the process. Bat populations are particularly vulnerable during hibernation as they congregate in large numbers in caves - in clusters of 300 per square foot in some locations -- making them susceptible to disturbance or disease. The vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of bats known to hibernate in New York do so in just five caves and mines. Because bats migrate as far as hundreds of miles to their summer range, impacts to hibernating bats can have significant implications for bats throughout the Northeast. Indiana bats, a state and federally endangered species, are perhaps the most vulnerable. Half the estimated 52,000 Indiana bats that hibernate in New York are located in just one former mine - a mine that is now infected with white nose syndrome. Eastern pipistrelle, northern long-eared and little brown bats are also dying. Little brown bats, the most common hibernating species in the state, have sustained the largest number of deaths. I am very suspicious of GM BT-11 corn, which is 40% of the corn crop grown in the US, primarily in middle-America. There's a possible link between BT corn and bee-colony deaths. The study in question is a small research project conducted at the University of Jena from 2001 to 2004. The researchers examined the effects of pollen from a genetically modified maize variant called "Bt corn" on bees. A gene from a soil bacterium had been inserted into the corn that enabled the plant to produce an agent that is toxic to insect pests. The study concluded that there was no evidence of a "toxic effect of Bt corn on healthy honeybee populations." But when, by sheer chance, the bees used in the experiments were infested with a parasite, something eerie happened. According to the Jena study, a "significantly stronger decline in the number of bees" occurred among the insects that had been fed a highly concentrated Bt poison feed. According to Hans-Hinrich Kaatz, a professor at the University of Halle in eastern Germany and the director of the study, the bacterial toxin in the genetically modified corn may have "altered the surface of the bee's intestines, sufficiently weakening the bees to allow the parasites to gain entry -- or perhaps it was the other way around. We don't know." Of course, the concentration of the toxin was ten times higher in the experiments than in normal Bt corn pollen. In addition, the bee feed was administered over a relatively lengthy six-week period. Kaatz would have preferred to continue studying the phenomenon but lacked the necessary funding. "Those who have the money are not interested in this sort of research," says the professor, "and those who are interested don't have the money." More research must be done, of course. If bats are eating insects loaded with BT that have fed on GM corn, it looms very large in my mind as the possible culprit. Here is a link that might be useful: Bat Die-Off Prompts Investigation

We don't have a bat house, but we are fortunate to have a large population of bats living in the immediate area, and yes, they do eat a ton of mosquitoes. In addition, the University of FL has a huge bat house up on campus that houses one of the largest colonies of Mexican Freetails in the US. There are thousands of individuals in that colony and they estimate that their nightly range is over a 10 mile radius out from the campus. They have already started for this Spring, if we are outside at dusk we see them flitting around the property eating bugs. In summer when we are out late in the pool, it has happened several times that a bat has swooped down very low over the pool chasing a mosquito. One almost landed on my daughter's inflatable pool raft once, she was extremely surprised! Unfortunately, even though they eat as many as they can, the mosquitoes seem to have the ability to regenerate the lost numbers almost immediately, it seems. We have been getting attacked. I use Cutter almost everytime I step out the door, and they seem to be immune to it unless you apply it all over, heavily. A little spritz isn't detering them.

I just saw something on television about this. They suggested that size is one of the factors of success. They mentioned that many people build them too small and then the bats don't use them. Because they are social animals, they want them big enough to hold a couple hundred. The one they made was a couple feet tall and a foot and a half across (my estimate). They mentioned they needed to be quite high up for the bats to be able to fly because they are really gliders and need to start up high in order to fly. They also said that you should stain them with dark stain to absorb the sun because they need to stay warm. That is about all I know about them. My dad had a huge colony in our barn when I was a kid. They kind of creeped me out. I know they are good animals to have around, but I haven't gotten the courage to put one up yet.

I don't know if we're having a bat problem, but I did go up into the attic this morning to set off one of those bug bombs. I noticed a lot of droppings in 1 spot. I've seem bat droppings before at my sisters, her's are just a bunch of little pellets. This is more than just the little pellets. Still small in size, but not little pellets. Would this still be from a bat? I can't see anywhere that is letting light in. I sleep like a log, but still wouldn't you think I'd hear something up there? There was nothing up there this morning, so my first thought was bats. We had 2 while under rehabbing in the living areas. They were easily removed. Not flying around, just hanging on the walls.