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CLEAR Temp: 77 °F Wind: SSE at 4 mph Sunday, October 13, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 24, 2002 Daniel DeKorte, 15, earned his Eagle Scout badge by planning the construction and placement of bat houses in Central Point. City officials hope bats will help cut down on mosquitoes in public areas. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Scout constructs housing project for bats He installs more than 30 houses in areas likely to be high in bat food: mosquitoes By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune With the West Nile virus creeping across the country, mosquitoes are quickly climbing the charts as least popular pest. But thanks to the hard work of a local Boy Scout, Central Point populations of the little bloodsuckers have less of a chance. Fifteen-year-old Daniel DeKorte of Jacksonville built 30 bat houses and installed them in parks and other wet areas likely to attract mosquitoes — and bats. The Scout completed the project not only to attain the status of Eagle Scout (an honor achieved by only 4 percent of Scouts nationwide) but because he was approached by the city staff. Central Point Parks and Recreation Coordinator Nancy Hanson said the city had been looking for non-pesticide ways of dealing with mosquitoes and other insects. She knew Daniel’s grandfather and asked if he knew of a Scout interested in making bat houses. The third-generation Scout said he learned a lot about the nocturnal creature right off the bat. "When I read the book I learned a lot that I didn’t know, like that they help with mosquito and bug populations," said the South Medford High sophomore, "and I learned about a lot of different types of bats and boxes." Daniel logged more than 138 hours on the project with the help of his brother, Robert, and his father and grandfather, Steve and Andy DeKorte. By July 23, Daniel had constructed and put up 30 bat houses in a number of Central Point parks and along the Bear Creek Greenway. Daniel said the upside-down tenants should find their houses in about a year. "It takes ’em awhile to find ’em, but the bat houses will give ’em a place to live other than attics and stuff. If they’re living in bat boxes, they aren’t bothering people. "A lot of people don’t like bats because they see so much on TV that they think they’re like vampires and they get intimidated, but they’re not like vampires and they don’t suck blood," he said, chuckling. For each bat that decides to make a home in one of Daniel’s "bat motels," according to the Organization for Bat Conservation in Michigan, 600 mosquitoes per hour could become dinner to a brown bat, the most commonly found bat in North America. Aside from providing a home for what are commonly mistaken as birds flying through the night sky, Daniel said building the bat houses taught him leadership skills. "The hardest part was the paperwork," he said. "Lots of paperwork. It took three full days alone because I had to keep track of everything. But the cool part was it taught me to stick with what I start. And how to instruct other Scouts and adults. You can’t just order (the older people) around. You’ve got to show respect but figure out how to help everyone work together." After final approval from a the national Boy Scout council, Daniel will receive his Eagle rank. His mother, Mary, said she was excited about what the project had done for her son. "I’m extremely proud of this boy. He stuck with it and this is something he’s accomplished that he can take with him the rest of his life. A lot of men you’ll find, that have accomplished things in the world, you’ll find out they’ve been Eagle Scouts," she said. "I think this gives him a good foundation to become an honorable man for his country and for himself." Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S