Local Girl Scouts have recently received the gift of 24 bat house box kits from the Rowayton Gardeners and are a step closer to earning a badge for their efforts in assembling, staining and distributing the bat homes throughout our community. The boxes will be mounted on 15 foot poles in public gardens on properties owned by the Norwalk Land Trust and Rowayton Historical Society as well as several tended by the Gardeners for the 6th Taxing District. The girls are learning about the benefits of having bats in our neighborhood. Many people have serious misconceptions about bats. Myths that they are vicious carriers of rabies and pests are abundant. The fact is that bats are actually quite harmless and are important indicators of a healthy environment. Because bats are sensitive to high pollution and pesticide levels, they are useful as a warning sign to potential environmental problems. Bats can also be important weapons in combating insects that are actually dangerous to humans. Consuming up to 1,200 mosquitos an hour, they also serve as pollinators and seed spreaders.