BUFFALO, W. Va, Oct. 31, 2016 – OK, say you’re a bat and you’re in the vicinity of Toyota’s powertrain plant in Buffalo, West Virginia.  It’s almost Halloween and contrary to popular folklore, you are NOT getting psyched to go all “vampire” on everybody.  NO!  You’re actually hunting for a place to hang out, no bat-pun intended.

For the Bats of Buffalo, Toyota has a treat this Halloween season:  Bat boxes!  Little wooden bungalows where these mosquito-eating machines can snuggle in for a spell and hopefully take up residence during the warmer months to help control the insect population.

“The bat houses are just one part of our biodiversity plan here at the West Virginia plant” says Marc Crouse, specialist and resident Batman. “Visitors to our one-mile green loop can stroll through to see the bat boxes and appreciate other aspects of biodiversity.” Those other aspects include native plants and a pit stop for Monarch butterflies during their annual migration.  “I like to tell people that being a mobility company means more than building cars, trucks and engines and transmissions.  We also want to contribute to the mobility of the critters that share our West Virginia home.”

In addition to the being a great place for a bat to hang around, Toyota’s bat box project is nominated for a Wildlife Habitat Council Award. This year’s winners will be announced at the council’s annual meeting in Baltimore later this week.