Providing Natural and Artificial Homes for Bats

Providing Natural and Artificial Homes for Bats

Author: Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, Erin Garrett November 27, 2023 Duration: 28:19

Join us this week as we chat with Dr. Joy O'Keefe about bats of Illinois and what we can do to support them. Bats are essential to a healthy ecosystem, as they eat insects that are pests to trees, crops, and us. Most bats use trees as their daytime roosts during spring, summer, and fall. If you have good places for bats to hunt for food, how do you attract them to roost on your property? Learn what makes good natural and artificial roost habitat for bats and other ways to support your local bat population.


Hosted by Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, and Erin Garrett, Everyday Environment Podcast is a conversation about the natural systems that shape daily life in Illinois. It’s not just about distant wilderness; it’s about the water from your tap, the trees on your street, the birds at your feeder, and the energy powering your home. Each episode pulls on a single thread-be it soil health, local wildlife, or sustainable practices-to reveal the whole intricate web we’re a part of. You’ll hear clear explanations and practical insights that make the science of our surroundings accessible and immediately relevant. The goal is to move beyond abstract concepts and foster a tangible, deeper understanding of how these environmental connections work right outside our doors. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that equip you with knowledge about the air, land, and water in your own community, making the complexities of our shared ecosystem feel a little more familiar and a lot more connected to the choices we make every day. This podcast is one part of a broader educational effort, designed to engage curious residents who want to look a bit closer at the world around them.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Everyday Environment Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Taking a systems-based approach to community water management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:34
This week we chat with Kara Salazar from Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant about how communities approach sustainable development around their water resources. Kara discusses the challenges of managing stor…
Rain gardens and nerding out over native plants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:04
Join the Everyday Environment team as we chat with Layne Knoche, Stormwater Outreach Associate, to explore the importance of rain gardens and how they help manage stormwater, support biodiversity, and improve water quali…
Nutrient loss in our waterways: the role of agriculture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:40
Everybody has a part to play in protecting the valuable resource that is water. So what is the part of farmers? As producers of our food, fiber, and fuel, farmers are essential to our economy, our plates, and our way of…
A gauntlet for Carp: invasives species in our waterways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:55
From the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, Illinois’ waters are incredible environmental and economic resources, supporting a diversity of plants and animals, providing drinking water for millions of people, and allowi…
Rain Check: Creative ways to use stormwater to your advantage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:18
In this episode, we talk with Eliana Brown, Water Quality and Stormwater Specialist with University of Illinois Extension. Eliana explains how we can do simple things that improve lakes and rivers and why it's important…
What you should know about contaminants of emerging concern [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:59
When people think about ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ in our waters, it sounds like a scary, complicated thing. But in truth, it’s not. There are a number of things in our everyday lives that can pollute our water –…
From raindrop to river: State Hydrologist explains watershed basics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:22
Watersheds are everywhere, adjusting and reforming all the time - they are not static. Watersheds are a reflection of natural and human activities: as activities change so do watersheds as well as the waterways within th…