Bats, Bees and Birds
Little Brown Bats
Every year we have bats at our cabin. They arrive in May and stay the summer. One of the first things I do is check a favourite roosting spot under the metal roof of the propane shed.
I found a Little Brown Bat had already moved in. It's probably male, because females group together under the cabin roof to raise their young. It's noisy at dusk and dawn as they wiggle out and in, but they keep the mosquitoes away. Here's the little guy under the shed roof.
Mason Bees
I was worried my Mason Bees wouldn't have enough empty nesting blocks, but the enterprising bees cleaned out the old ones and are filling them up again. A few bees are still working away. My colony grew from two bees in 2015 to over 100 in 2019.
Sadly, I lost the colony due to a long absence in 2020. Fortunately, a few native bees got me restarted last year. I love giving pollinators a helping hand. Here's more about my bee experiences:
Revitalizing a Bee Hotel
Drilling Nesting Blocks
Building a Simple Bee Hotel
Visit Letting Go of the Bay Leaf for more Mosaic Monday.
Thanks for visiting my post this week. I'm linking up with Saturday's Critters. Check them out for more great animal pictures.
Shared with Your the Star at Stone Cottage Adventures. And Tuesdays with a Twist at Stone Cottage Adventures.
Labels:
Animals,
Float Cabin Living
Posts
Good to see they have all returned and are there to welcome you back.
ReplyDeleteIt's like having good friends come for a visit. - Margy
DeleteYou must be so happy to get going here again. It looks lovely!
ReplyDelete(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!
Yes it is. We really enjoy our winter trips to warm Arizona, but our float cabin is the best place to be. - Margy
DeleteThat must be a great place to spend the summer Margy. And interesting to hear that you too have experienced a cold spring. So much for "global warming" or as I prefer to know it "variable weather." So good to hear that you value your bats. There are people over here who do not understand that birds and bats keep the insect population at a balanced level.
ReplyDeleteSome people get them inside their cabins, but mine roost between the tin roof and the plywood underneath. I read Small Brown Bats live about 10 years. There's been one in our propane shed for over 20 years. Maybe it's a secret spot shared only between good friends. - Margy
DeleteHosting bats sounds fascinating but a bit dangerous, at least if they were US bats. Here, bats are often infected with rabies, so you don't want to be near them. Too bad, they are quite intriguing.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
The bats don't come in contact with us, even the one that hides in the propane shed. I'm sure that rabies is always a possibility with wild animals so we just watch them. - Margy
DeleteIt sounds interesting to come back to your cabin and see the critters making do, improving on their living conditions. They are smart those bees and bats. Have a great new week.
ReplyDeleteAnimals in nature are very smart! - Margy
DeleteHello Margy,
ReplyDeleteYour floating cabin sounds wonderful. It is nice you are helping the birds, bees and bats with their nests. The bats and swallows help control the mosquitos. Neat photo of the bat. Great post. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week!
Thank you for hosting Saturday's Critters every week. - Margy
Deleteyou are very popular with winged creatures
ReplyDeleteI think it's that they are very popular for me. - Margy
DeleteI'm glad you are back safe and sound. I know you'll enjoy spending the summer there. It's beautiful! We are watching Ibis in our backyard today. One young one among them too.
ReplyDeleteRVing in Arizona felt very safe, and here up the lake it is as well. It would be exciting to see an Ibis. Each area has their native birds. - Margy
DeleteWonderful post and photos of your 'critters' ~ it will warm up soon ~ cold in MA too right now ~ will be hot soon enough ~ Xo
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
We have Mason bees as well and last year was our first year. We had 29 tubes full of eggs and I brought them into our garage and hung them from a high point using a wire. I thought they would be safe until I brought them in come October. I went out to the garage a few days later and mice had opened up every single tube and eaten everything gone. So sad, but I learned a lesson. Tree Swallows are delightful birds~
ReplyDeleteWe have the same problem here with mice and woodrats (packrats). The drilled wood blocks prevent some of the predation, but it's no guarantee. I bring the nesting blocks inside the cabin once they are full then put them back out in the hotels in spring. The cardboard tubes were the worst to keep the mice away. - Margy
DeleteThis is wonderful! We have birds tweeting, nesting, screeching in the banyan tree all year round!
ReplyDeleteA banyan tree sounds so exotic! - Margy
DeleteMargy - we would love to have bats! We have two bat boxes, but they have not been occupied in the four years they have been in place. We do think we see some flying around at night. So sad you lost your colony of bees. I will have to read your info at another time and see if I want to take this on! We have a couple of bird boxes that are just the right size for swallows, but they haven't moved in. Critters I like to watch around here? Birds, butterflies, elk, farm animals such as goats and sheep ... the list goes on! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!
ReplyDeleteMason bees don't take much work. You can purchase bee blocks and hotels at most stores that sell nursery and pet supplies. Due to Covid I wasn't there to clean the old nest blocks, but the bees did that for themselves. It would be that way in nature anyway. - Margy
DeleteYou have interesting things going on where you are. I don't know why, but I don't like bats. Maybe it is because of the many movies I watched. I have birds visiting my garden but I don't know their names.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't like bats if they were in my cabin, but outdoors they are so helpful. - Margy
DeleteThis must be a great place to spend the summer.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful this floating hut, nice that you help the birds and bats.
Greetings Irma
It's a great place in all seasons. Summer is the busy with other cabin owners nearby. My favourite times are spring and fall, but winter can be beautiful as well. - Margy
DeleteI am so happy to hear that you have been reunited with all the animals you love so much. We need more stewards like you. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThanks you for the compliment. - Margy
DeleteBet you are glad to be back at the float cabin. Enjoy lake life.
ReplyDeleteYes, it has been an unusual two and a half years. Hopefully things are getting back to better and easier times. - Margy
Deletewow, that´s great housing for all kinds of living creatures :) Love it!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy watching all the critters around our cabin. - Margy
DeleteHow kind of you to help the birds, bees and bats with their nests, Margie!
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday!
I try, but they help me more with their company. - Margy
DeleteYou are a true friend to the small critters.
ReplyDeleteI try. - Margy
Deletewonderful cabin with excellent views....
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing your story
It was a wonderful discovery back in 2001. - Margy
Deletesad to know you lost 100 bees....
ReplyDeletehope, new bees will grow quickly.
good luck
I felt so bad. I couldn't get back to the cabin in time to put the nesting blocks out during the first Covid lockdown. - Margy
DeleteDear Margy,
ReplyDeleteit must be great to have those little bats staying with you as "mosquito repellent"! :-) I didn't even know that bats curl up like that, I thought they were always hanging from the ceiling or from branches. In any case, it's great that different animals feel so comfortable with you and that they ARE ALLOWED to! My garden is insect and bird friendly :-) I've also seen many toads, frogs and (unfortunately few) lizards here.
All the best!
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2022/06/hochbetrieb-im-lavendel-und-andere-juni.html
I am sure the ones under the roof are also curled up. There is very little space under the ridge cap. - Margy
Delete