Gardening for Bats

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• What is a Moon Garden?
  A moon garden attracts and supports night-flying insects, like moths. Providing food and shelter for nocturnal insects creates a feeding spot for native bats!
• Why plant a Moon Garden?
  Not everyone can put up a bat box, but we can support our bats (and other native nocturnal animals like frogs, nightjars, and fireflies) with what we plant!
• A Moon Garden should include:
  
  • Plants that bloom or stay open at night
  • Light-colored or fragrant blooms are best, but all nightblooming plants work!
  • Moth host plants
  • Native trees
  • No pesticides - remember, bats will eat the bugs!
• Bonus points for:
  • A clean water source, preferably 7-10 feet wide (they swoop to get their water)! An exit ramp like a log can help animals if they fall in.
  • Standing dead trees, ideal for roosting
  • Lights out! Lights can confuse migrating bats.

What plants should you use?

• Flowers and Herbaceous Plants
  
  • Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.)
  • Rudbeckia species (like black-eyed susans)
  • False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum)
  • Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium spp.)
  • Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata)
  • Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
  • Aster species
  • Native Elderberries (Sambucus spp.)
  • Goldenrod species
  • Foamflower (Tiarella species)
  • Trillium species
• Bushes and Shrubs
  
  • Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
  • Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
  • Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
  • Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
• Trees
  
  • Any native species of oak
  • River birch (Betula nigra)
  • Black willow (Salix nigra)
  • Native cherry trees (Prunus spp.)
  • Dogwood (Cornus florida)
  • Native maple trees (Acer spp.)
  • Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)​
    

• nativeplantfinder.nwf.org
• allianceforthebay.org/native-plant-center/