Martins & Mosquitoes...and Bats

[Stephen Perry <stevep@receptor-biol.duke.edu>]

>
>
>Martins don't eat large numbers of mosquitoes; the bugs are primarily
>nocturnal, the birds diurnal. Bats are our greatest vertebrate allies in
>the war on adult mosquitoes, although most of them would probably
>actually prefer a nice juicy beetle or moth. Fish, feeding on larvae,
>pupae, and eggs, are probably far more important vertebrate mosquito
>predators; other insects, disease organisms, and the vagaries of the
>weather ultimately have the greatest imapct on their populations. In
>your yards, the best thing you can do is identify and drain any small,
>fish-free pools of water (especially things like flower pot saucers,
>gutters, cans or buckets, and water-holding tree holes). it only takes
>about a cup of water persisting for less than two weeks to kick out
>enough mosquitoes to be really annoying.

Hi Folks,

Slightly off topic, but...

I just read an article in the National Geographic about free-tailed 
bats in Texas. Apparently these little critters can devour enormous 
quantities of insects and are believed to save US farmers 10's of 
millions of dollars in moth damage to crops each year (from memory, 
corn worm and tobacco worm moths were among the species). They did 
some math and came up with a quite incredible weight of moths eaten 
every year.

Back to birds.

The house wrens continue to wake me every a.m. I was up in the small 
hours watching the US soccer team beat your friends south of the 
border, and when I finally retired to bed at 4.30am, the wrens were 
already at it. I didn't get any sleep until they quit at about 6am.

Also found a chipping sparrow nest with 2 youngsters in Southern 
Village, Chapel Hill. It was located in a very small trimmed 
privet-like bush just 3 feet off the ground in plain view of the 
residents (and their cats). Hope they make it to fledging unscathed.




-- 
Steve Perry

Receptor Biology Lab, Duke Uni Med Center, Durham, NC

stevep@receptor-biol.duke.edu