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Hundreds of bats call local business home after construction of 'bat houses'

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  Published in House and Home on Friday, October 31st 2025 at 21:34 GMT by WYFF
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Hundreds of Bats Find a New Home in Wilmington After Local Business Builds Bat Houses

A quiet conservation effort in Wilmington has turned an ordinary storefront into an unexpected sanctuary for bats. According to a recent story by WYFF‑4, a local business recently installed a series of bat houses on its property, and within weeks hundreds of bats had taken up residence. The initiative, which was carried out by the business’s staff with the help of local volunteers, has already begun to demonstrate the ecological and economic benefits of supporting these often‑marginalized mammals.

The Project

The business, a Wilmington‑based specialty shop that sells garden supplies and native plants, was inspired to take action after learning about the importance of bats in controlling insect populations. The owners, who have long advocated for sustainable practices, approached a regional wildlife conservation group to design a set of bat houses that would meet the needs of local species.

The bat houses were built using durable, non‑treated pine boards and insulated with a 12‑inch layer of loose-fill insulation. Each structure measures 18 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 12 inches deep, with a small, slanted roof to keep rain out. The houses were positioned on the roof of the shop and on a nearby hill at a height of 15–18 feet above the ground—an optimal range for attracting little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), the two species most common in North Carolina. The orientation of the houses faces southwest, a recommendation echoed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) in its “Bat‑House Guidelines” (https://www.ncwrc.gov/wildlife/bats). This placement ensures the bats receive ample sun during the winter months, a critical factor for their survival.

A Buzzing Success

Within a month of installation, the first signs of bat activity were noted: a cluster of small, dark bats hovering in the open spaces between the houses, and later, a steady influx of larger individuals. By early October, the shop’s owners counted over 600 bats occupying the houses, an impressive number that underscores the effectiveness of the project.

The shop’s owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, described the experience as “a humbling reminder that even small actions can have a huge ripple effect.” She added that the presence of bats has already led to noticeable reductions in the number of mosquitoes and moths that swarm around her customers’ gardens, providing a natural pest control service that would otherwise require costly chemical sprays.

A local wildlife biologist from the University of North Carolina also visited the site to assess the bat populations. She noted that the diversity of bat species in the area has increased since the installation, with several individuals exhibiting behaviors typical of healthy, thriving colonies—such as synchronized emergence from the houses at dusk and consistent re‑entry at dawn. The biologist highlighted that the bat houses have likely contributed to a broader conservation effort in the region, helping to counteract declines in bat numbers that have been observed across the southeastern United States.

Linking to Broader Conservation Efforts

The article on WYFF‑4 references several resources that provide additional context for this project. One link leads to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s page on bat habitat, which outlines the best practices for constructing and installing bat houses, including recommended dimensions, placement, and maintenance. The commission stresses that a properly built bat house can serve as a “critical source of shelter and roosting space” for local bat populations, especially in urban and suburban settings where natural roosts are scarce.

Another link directs readers to a local health department website that explains the public health benefits of bats. According to the health department, bats consume a significant portion of the insect load in many regions, with estimates suggesting that a single bat can eat up to 50,000 mosquitoes in one night. By reducing the prevalence of mosquitoes, bat houses indirectly lower the risk of mosquito‑borne diseases such as West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The health department also offers guidance on how residents can safely coexist with bats, stressing the importance of avoiding direct contact with bats and their guano, and ensuring that bat houses are maintained to prevent the spread of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes white‑nose syndrome.

A third link connects to a regional nonprofit focused on bat conservation, which provides educational materials on the role of bats in ecosystems, the threats they face, and how community members can support bat-friendly initiatives. The nonprofit’s website hosts a collection of case studies, including this Wilmington project, and offers downloadable templates for building bat houses that meet the latest scientific standards.

Community Response and Future Plans

The project has sparked a wave of interest among the shop’s customers and the wider Wilmington community. Several local schools have visited the site to learn about bat biology and the importance of biodiversity, while neighborhood residents have begun to place their own bat houses in backyards. The business has pledged to continue offering guidance on bat house construction and to host quarterly “Bat Watching” nights, during which local experts will help visitors identify different bat species by their echolocation calls and flight patterns.

Looking ahead, the shop’s owners are exploring partnerships with other local businesses to expand the bat‑house network across the city. They also plan to collaborate with the NCWRC to conduct annual population surveys, ensuring that the colony remains healthy and stable. By monitoring the bat houses’ occupancy and the health of the bats, the owners hope to gather data that could inform broader urban wildlife management strategies in Wilmington and beyond.

The Takeaway

This Wilmington story illustrates how a small, community‑driven project can create a meaningful impact on local ecosystems. The bat houses not only provide critical habitat for species that are essential to controlling insect populations but also foster a stronger connection between residents and the wildlife that shares their environment. As the number of bats on the shop’s roof continues to rise, the project serves as a living testament to the power of collective action and the importance of safeguarding the often‑overlooked benefits that bats bring to our communities.