[AT] Was: Shop ceiling, now mosquito control

Wed Sep 28 08:26:09 PDT 2011

Ken-

On every weekend I am at my cabin that I built on a ten acre plot that is heavily wooded, has two streams, two ponds, and countless mud holes, springs, and swampy areas.

In short, it is an IDEAL honeymoon resort for mosquitos and a great spot for them to raise a family, too.

Despite this, I and my family/friends have only been bitten a few times in the 25 years since I built it, even though some of us sleep out on the second story porch, which is roofed, but not screened-in.

If we go down on the ground level it's a different bug story, but on the first deck (4 1/2 to 5' above ground level) there are very few bugs seen, and on the upper level none (unless I leave a light on and moths are attracted) to it).

A naturalist I spoke to said "Sure, the tastey bugs are staying close to the ground due to the bats keeping the upper altitudes policed for you." so I have kept certain pieces of siding on the cabin and the barn that I built unfastened at the bottom with gaps for them to use for sleeping during the day. 

I also got the plans for a bathouse, painted it the recommended color, and mounted it on the proper compass point of my cabin outside wall and after a bit I could tell by seeing the droppings below it that it was occupied.

There are several bat-friendly resourses on the internet that will give you a lot more info on their beneficial aspects, as well as how to invite them to coexist with you without any negative aspects.

And on the subject of coexisiting, while I was standing in a pool of light uunder my spotlight one night, I had one of them repeatedly fly right past me at shoulder level to get particularly tasty moths, I remained still the whole while and it felt almost like being touched (and not unpleasantly at all).

-Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Knierim <ken.knierim at gmail.com>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 8:18 am
Subject: [AT] Was: Shop ceiling, now mosquito control

Bruce,
   Sorry to take things off-topic but tell me more about the bats and how
ou use them for mosquito control. This sounds quite interesting. With West
ile Virus making the rounds, natural suppression of those little
loodsuckers sounds like a great idea. I'd like to find more information on
his; where did you find out about bat houses?
   My wife gets eaten up by mosquitoes. They fly right by me and leave her
ith itchy red welts. I tell her I'm too old and crusty for them but I
eally have no idea why they prefer her. Maybe it's the gear lube cologne I
se?
Ken in AZ
On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 3:52 AM, <robbrut at aol.com> wrote:
>
 I agree with Mike's blown-in insulation recommendation, and for another
 reason other than the obvious ones like its ease of installation, R value
 and filling cavities well.
 Mine has to do with critters' (mice, squirrels, bats, flying squirrels)
 aversion to the blow-in stuff.
 When I built my house in the woods, i used fiberglas batt insulation
 (itchy) an really built up the attic ceiling.
 Within a year it was a condo for mice, two years later tha squirrels
 discovered it. and within ten years, all of the insualtion over the main
 area was gone, having been pulled to the eaves for huge nests.
 I had all of the FG removed, along with the mummified remains of former
 residents who didn't like the TomCat diet, and replaced it all with
 loose-fill cellulose (blow-in type).
 That was 5 years ago, and I still don't see any disturbance of the
 cellulose material, nor is there any mouse/squirrel poop to be seen anywhere
 up there.
 I have been told that there are two factors that make vermin dislike it,
 one is the fireproofing treatment (boric acid) done to the cellulose, and
 the other is that it sticks to the critters fur and resists tunneling.
 By the way, I built a bathouse/condo for my bats who are enjoying their new
 digs and are still keeping us mosquito-free.
 Bruce Thompson

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Mike 1countryguy <mdo_1 at hotmail.com>
 To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
 Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 12:38 am
 Subject: Re: [AT] Shop ceiling

 teel roofing when nailed or screwed in will be strong on 4 ft centers.
  Blown
 nsulation is the easy way to get a lot of r values.  Mine has been on ten
 years
 nd no problem.  Why go to the time and expense of the waifer board.
 > Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:51:03 -0400
  From: rlgoss at insightbb.com
  To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
  Subject: Re: [AT] Shop ceiling

  I think I would want something a little more substantial to support the
 nsulation than just the tin that's used for ceilings.  When I built my
 shop, I
 sed OSB for the bottom four feet (laid horizontally.) and TEMPERED peg
 board
 or the top four feet.  That lets me hang shelving and tools anywhere above
 the
 our-foot level, and work benches and storage cabinets fill in over the OSB.
  I
 sed standard gypsum drywall for the ceiling.  I rented a drywall lift from
 Home
 epot, and installed the whole ceiling in less than half a day all by
 myself.  I
 ear you loud and clear on needing to raise and lower whole panels to make
 sure
 he cut outs are in the right location.  That's why I rented one that was
 made
 or the job at Home Depot.  Just put the panel on the carrier, cut it to
 shape,
 dd the cut outs, flip it to horizontal, and turn the big wheel to clamp the
 hole panel to the ceiling.

  Larry

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Don Bowen" <don.bowen at earthlink.net>
  To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <
 at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
  Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 9:17:28 PM
  Subject: [AT] Shop ceiling

  I was talking with my builder friend this evening about the next step in
  my shop.  It is a pole building that I put up false walls between the 5
  by 5 poles.  The walls are 2X4 on 24" centers with roll insulation
  between then covered with 7/16" OSB.  For the ceiling I put 2X6 joists
  between the trusses and was planning on covering with the same OSB.  THe
  problem soon became obvious.  The building is not square, I have 6
  lighting outlets, 4 switched plugs for task lighting, and 4 hanging
  outlets, all would need holes through the OSB so each sheet may be
  lifted two or three times to a 9' 6" ceiling.  I had designed a panel
  lift for my engine hoist.

  Then my friend said that many here use tin.  He said I could get No 2
  tin and he and I could put it in place in an afternoon.  Then I will use
  blown in cellulose insulation.  It will make a nice warm shop for these
  mild Ozark winters.

  Any comments on this idea?

  --
  Don Bowen           KI6DIU
  http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

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