Photo courtesy of Trevor Nida.

As bats migrate to southeast Iowa this summer, they will be welcomed to a new home at Marr Park.

Kalona Boy Scout Trevor Nida installed bat houses last fall west of the campground. These houses will help bats find a location to inhabit during the day. Nida mentions the two-fold benefits of these bat houses, “It will lower the bug population and it will raise the bat population, because it’ll help them survive because they are an endangered species.”

The houses are located to motivate bats to fly through the campgrounds and feed on insects like mosquitoes. The houses will provide habitat for bats, lack of which has become a problem worldwide. Millions of North American bats have been killed by white-nose syndrome, and wind energy has also taken a large toll on bats, according to Bat Conservation International. Nida completed this project to display leadership skills in order to receive Eagle Scout designation. Nida will have a board of review for his Eagle Scout award this May.