CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As kids, we threw rocks into the night sky, trying to interest the bats flying above our heads into swooping down, sonar-guided, within our reach. My mom would admonish us and say that bats were bad and we shouldn't fool around with them.

Now, as a gardener, I have become a fan of those creepy black creatures again. In a single night, one bat can consume thousands of mosquitoes, as well as other pests that harm our favorite plants.

I received an email from the National Home Gardening Club about bats that directed me to a site where I can buy a bat house.

Yes, a bat house. I've seen them before, but have never purchased one. Do they work? Any bat lovers out there who have "bat-chelor pads" (I stole that from the website!) in their yards?

It seems the small, single-chambered Bat Bungalow ($425.73 at www.backyardwildlife.com) is perfect for small groups of males (hence the "bat-chelor pad" reference). Free garden help is hard to come by, so why not attract these pest-eating friends. Instructions suggest placing it in the sun about 12 to 15 feet above the ground.

Paul D. Curtis, of the natural resources department at Cornell University, wrote an article that put me at ease with the whole rabies/bat thing. (Mom's words echo to this day -- "You'll get rabies from bats!")

Curtis said many residents wish to eliminate these winged mammals because they can infect humans or pets with rabies. However -- only a small proportion (less than 1 percent) of bats are rabid. Even if rabies is confirmed from one bat in a colony, most of the remaining animals will be healthy.

Symptoms of rabid bats include erratic flight, activity during the daytime, and weakness or paralysis causing the bat to fall from its roost. Most human exposure to rabies occurs when people attempt to help grounded bats. If sick or dead bats are found, contact a local public health agency immediately. Don't touch dead or sickly bats.

Curtis points out that bats are the only mammals that actually fly. Their highly developed echolocation system allows them to capture flying insects at night, either with their mouth, wings or tail membranes. They forage from about an hour after sunset to about an hour before sunrise, stopping to rest occasionally under open porches, eaves, trees or other overhanging structures.

Bats spend their days roosting in a semitorpid state. Often bats choose to roost in the attic or walls of occupied dwellings, posing problems for property owners. Most colonies of bats go unnoticed, but they may become a nuisance due to their vocalization and activity, or odors and stains from urine, feces and rejected food.

No pesticides are registered for lethal control of bats in the United States. Chemical controls may actually increase bat rabies risks by producing sick individuals, or by driving bats from attics into living areas.

What can homeowners do if bats decide to roost in their attics? The only long-term control method is to bat-proof the home. All bats should be outside the building before the entrance points are sealed (implement control efforts at night). Bat-proofing should be attempted as soon as an unwanted colony is detected, except during early summer when young flightless individuals may be present. Trapped bats will soon die, creating foul odors.

Main access points to structures are found by observing the animals leaving the building at dusk. Bats may enter an opening as small as 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Cracks or crevices can be sealed with caulking compound. Larger openings can be covered with metal flashing or 1/4-inch mesh hardware wire. One primary hole should be kept open until bats exit for the evening, then it can be temporarily closed with a wad of aluminum foil. Trapped animals will leave the following evening if the seal is removed at the normal exit time. After checking for remaining individuals, the opening can be permanently sealed.

Bats will seek other entry points, so the building should be checked each evening for several days. Installation of lighting in roost areas will also discourage bats (install wires properly to avoid fire hazards). The lights should be left on 24 hours a day for several weeks. Increasing ventilation to decrease temperatures may cause bats to leave in some cases.

Mothballs may repel colonies in confined areas with poor ventilation. Recommended application rates are usually high, and vapors could reach living areas, posing a health hazard to humans. Ultrasonic devices have not effectively repelled bats.

To remove a single bat from an occupied room, turn the lights on and open the window. Usually the bat will leave on its own without handling. If this doesn't work, wait for the bat to land and cover it with a coffee can. Slide cardboard under the can, and release the bat outdoors if it has not contacted humans or pets.

Another natural worker

There's another creature that's a garden worker to attract -- and this one is much prettier. Butterflies pollinate the garden and are wonderful to see fluttering from flower to flower. If you want an easy way to attract more of these critters to your garden, Duncraft makes a "Butterfly Feeder."

Now, I'm not so sure of this one -- I like to plant the right flowers to attract the butterflies naturally. But this feeder (which looks a lot like a hummingbird feeder) can be filled with nectar (which Duncraft also sells, by the way) or stocked with overripe pieces of fruit. It's made of dishwasher-safe polycarbonate and is eight inches in diameter, and comes with a built-in seven-inch hanging hook and an "ant moat."

Here's what caught my eye -- the email said, "Butterflies use their tongues to sip nectar through the tiny holes in the lid." I didn't know butterflies had tongues, but that's what they call the tubelike proboscis that's used to suck nectar from flowers.

The feeder is $19.95 at www.duncraft.com.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.