Bat Silo Project
Donation protected
OUR STORY: Our group has decided to take on the abandoned agriculture silos at the Greenville College Ayres Field Station and upcycle them into a sanctuary for the endangered population of bats in our area. Acoustic monitoring for the past two semesters has revieled a potential identification of several threatened and endangered speices, including the Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis),
Why the silos? Bats like to roost where they feel protected and have a constant temperature throughout the day. The agriculture silos offer both. Also they are ugly and not being used for anything. So, why not?
Why bats? Bats are an integral part of the ecosystem and can act as organic pest control. Encouraging bats to take up habitation at the field station can help reduce forest, garden and human-disease carrying pest populations. Bats have voracious appetites, and a single bat can eat thousands of insects every night. Turning the silos into bat houses is a great way to help these threatened animals. Because of their slow reproductive rates and longevity, bats of all species are at risk of population decline. The silos could also give females a warm, safe place to raise their young. Because bats typically only have one pup each year, populations are slow to grow. Bats are finding it increasingly harder to find places to roost during the day and to raise their young. By constructing a bat sanctuary, you give these pups a chance to survive and for populations to be healthy. Habitat loss, pesticides and an invasive fungus that is associated with White-Nose Syndrome are all negatively impacting bat populations. Providing alternative roosting habitat with the silos can help lessen the impacts of these threats. Another benefit could be, future students could also contribute to the monitoring of bats that could roost here, too little is known about bats in general. And all those healthy bats mean we can use less pesticide on our plants—a win win for everyone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Our tentative plan is to raise enough money to add a roof and some rough cut plywood inside the silos to support a viable bat population/roost. We have started this GoFundMe page and as well as visiting local hardware stores to obtain donations. Also some other supplies may be needed such as ladders, concrete bolts, screens etc. Please make a donationa and help our dreams of a healthy bat population at the Ayres Field Station a reality!
Robin Ingersoll-Biology
Leigh Buchholz – English
Daulton Ward - Criminal Justice
John Freeman - Computer Information Systems (CIS)
David Kerley - Psychology
Dr. Eric Nord-mentor
Why the silos? Bats like to roost where they feel protected and have a constant temperature throughout the day. The agriculture silos offer both. Also they are ugly and not being used for anything. So, why not?
Why bats? Bats are an integral part of the ecosystem and can act as organic pest control. Encouraging bats to take up habitation at the field station can help reduce forest, garden and human-disease carrying pest populations. Bats have voracious appetites, and a single bat can eat thousands of insects every night. Turning the silos into bat houses is a great way to help these threatened animals. Because of their slow reproductive rates and longevity, bats of all species are at risk of population decline. The silos could also give females a warm, safe place to raise their young. Because bats typically only have one pup each year, populations are slow to grow. Bats are finding it increasingly harder to find places to roost during the day and to raise their young. By constructing a bat sanctuary, you give these pups a chance to survive and for populations to be healthy. Habitat loss, pesticides and an invasive fungus that is associated with White-Nose Syndrome are all negatively impacting bat populations. Providing alternative roosting habitat with the silos can help lessen the impacts of these threats. Another benefit could be, future students could also contribute to the monitoring of bats that could roost here, too little is known about bats in general. And all those healthy bats mean we can use less pesticide on our plants—a win win for everyone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Our tentative plan is to raise enough money to add a roof and some rough cut plywood inside the silos to support a viable bat population/roost. We have started this GoFundMe page and as well as visiting local hardware stores to obtain donations. Also some other supplies may be needed such as ladders, concrete bolts, screens etc. Please make a donationa and help our dreams of a healthy bat population at the Ayres Field Station a reality!
Robin Ingersoll-Biology
Leigh Buchholz – English
Daulton Ward - Criminal Justice
John Freeman - Computer Information Systems (CIS)
David Kerley - Psychology
Dr. Eric Nord-mentor
Organizer
Robin, Leigh, Dalton, John, David Bat Silos
Organizer
Greenville, IL
