In August we installed a bat house at Casey Farm which was built by volunteer Bill Batz. (Yes,that is really his name!) North Shore Signs of Libertyville donated the pole and the crew to help erect the house which now stands ready for a population of little brown bats when they return from their winter hibernation, most likely in caves along the Mississippi River. We are hoping the bats choose to roost in the new house rather than the old barn since we anticipate that the barn will likely undergo improvments someday that may drive the bats out. 
It was no surprise to find that the barn, exposed to the elements for many years, is home to little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). The female bats and their pups live high in the rafters, while a population of about 30 male bats prefer roosting in the beams in the lower level. Though presently the state's most common bat species, the rapid advancement of White-nose Syndrome, a fungus which is decimating bat populations in the eastern part of the nation, could potentially cause the little brown bat to quickly qualify for the endangered species list if the fungus spreads into Illinois. You can read about White-nose Syndrome and the dire situation out East in this recent Popluar Science article. http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-10/racing-save-bats-catastrophic-extinctionSarah Surroz, our Conservation and Outreach Manager, led the effort to provide an alternate home for the bats. She consulted with experts at Bat Conservation International and the Illinois Natural History Survey as well as with a local expert, to design and locate the bat house near the barn.
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