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Eagle Scout project provides habitat for vulnerable bat species

Thomas Donahue (left) works with volunteers to construct a bat box as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Bats in the region will find new real estate in Hopkinton next migration season thanks to completion of an Eagle Scout project on local trails.

Troop 4 Hopkinton Scout and Hopkinton High School student Thomas Donahue recently installed four bat boxes in town — two on Center Trail and two near the Fruit Street trails. With assistance from the Sustainable Green Committee and volunteers, the boxes were installed on June 1.

Donahue said the idea for the boxes came to him after learning about white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife reports can interrupt bat hibernation cycles, proving fatal. According to a MassWildlife informational website, five of the nine bat species that reside in Massachusetts are on the state’s endangered species list as a result of the disease.

Donahue decided on using his Eagle Scout project as an opportunity to help the animals. “An Eagle project’s the best time to do something like this,” he said.

After some research and consulting with the SGC — on which Donahue serves as a youth member — the plan to build the bat boxes was formed. He noted that the SGC helped him both on the financial end of things and with connecting him to experts.

“They helped in meeting people who know a lot about bats and discussing with them what the best design would be,” Donahue said. He also credited Ashland Lumber for donating all the materials he needed for the project.

The completed boxes now await their new tenants. According to Donahue, it is likely the boxes will remain empty until the next bat migration in the spring. He also estimated that up to 250 bats could reside in a single box. His designs for the boxes also will remain with the SGC, allowing others to step in and build more in the future.

Besides the benefit of providing habitats to vulnerable species, the boxes, Donahue said, allow for a more natural approach to insect control.

“It’s a way to monitor the mosquito population without having to use insecticides,” he explained.

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Photo of the Day

Juno enjoys a recent trip to Lake Whitehall.

PHOTO/KARSON MUI