If I could have just one of God’s creatures wiped completely off the face of the Earth, it would be the mosquito. Nothing ruins an outdoor event like the mosquito—swarming, buzz-in-your-ear, blood-sucking mosquitoes. Sadly, none of my prayers have been answered, so I, like everyone else living in mosquito-menaced areas, look for eradication alternatives. Here’s one for the not-so-squeamish—a bat house. This 2 ½-foot tall Genuine Cypress Bat House can host up to 50 of nature’s most prolific insect eliminators. (One bat can feast on a thousand mosquitoes in one night—where DO they put it?) Two interior screened compartments and an exterior landing pad encourage colonization and breeding, and a zinc-plated hanger allows the house to be easily mounted to a tree or pole. Cost is $120. Batmobile and costume not included.

Credit: The Green Head

Hammacher Schlemmer