Edwardsville Township fights mosquitoes with bats

EDWARDSVILLE –  Edwardsville Township is taking an unusual approach to fighting the mosquitoes at the Robert C. Stille Edwardsville Township Community Park, located at 6368 Center Grove Road in Edwardsville.  The Township is installing three bat houses to encourage the bats currently residing in the park to take a more permanent residence and attract some new residents as well.

“Trustee Blake Fuhler recommended the installation of bat houses at Township Park as a safe way to control for mosquitoes,” said Township Supervisor Frank Miles at the Township’s monthly board meeting held on August 23, 2016.  “A single bat can eat more than 6,000 insects each night.  With bats patrolling at night, the Township can implement a supplemental abatement program to our usual mosquito spraying, which is in cooperation with the Village of Glen Carbon.  Attracting bats for mosquito control is also more environmentally friendly than the uses of pesticides, which can impact the bee population while trying to control for mosquitoes.”

The Township purchased the three bat houses from Market Basket in Edwardsville. The houses will be installed around the perimeter of the park near the tree line and will include educational signage to describe the mosquito fighting abilities of bats.

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