Mosquito problems? One Cape Coral man has a batty solution

CAPE CORAL, Fla. Michael Orchin built a box with a few slots of wood that he hopes will be occupied by bats to help stem his mosquito problem.

The idea isn’t a bad one, said William Properzio, director of environmental health and safety at the University of Florida.

The university built its first bat house in 1991 to lure them out of campus buildings.

“Mosquitoes they do eat and it’s a non pesticide related eradication program,” Properzio said. “They’re good to have around, just don’t expect to see mosquitoes disappear if you put up a bat house.”

That’s because bats have bigger appetites, said Jeff Gore, a wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Moths, beetles, those are bigger ticket items they get a lot more food for their effort,” he said.

Orchin remains hopeful.

“It can do no harm,” he said. “The worse that can happen is you get no bats. And if you’re lucky, you do.”