Most people would never consider providing housing for bats. Many people consider bats as creatures to be avoided.

However, there is no real danger to humans from bats. Medical history records show that only 16 people in the United States and Canada have died of bat-related diseases in the past 40 years. That makes the chances of being harmed by a bat extremely low. Furthermore, bats are virtually disease free - less than one-half of one percent of bats contract rabies.

But why provide housing for bats? The answer lies in their diet. Bats are natural consumers of enormous amounts of insects. A single brown bat (Myotis lucifugas or Eptesicus fuscus), the most abundant species of bat in North America, can consume up to 7,000 insects in one evening.

Do you have a mosquito problem in your yard? A proliferation of flies and other insects? Try putting up a bat house. You'll see a decrease in your insect population almost immediately.

The best part is that bats work at night. While you sleep, your natural pest control team can be working to reduce to your insect problem. You do not need to feed bats. You simply need to set up acceptable bat housing to attract them.

The favorite habitats of bats are rapidly disappearing. These include old hollow trees, barns, and old houses. For this reason bats will choose human-made bat houses as permanent roosting sites.

The truth is that bats are misunderstood creatures that are generally quite harmless to people. If you see them as natural insect hunters, you'll see them in quite a different light.

Frank Ross is the owner of several specialized ecommerce sites including My Bird Supplies which sell specific products to specific home and garden markets.