Gregg Trusty/LSUS News

Susan Hanson, daughter of LSUS Red River Watershed Management Institute Director Gary Hanson, levels dirt inside one of the huge tires that form the bat cave constructed this summer by the Institute. The dirt was put in the tires to absorb moisture. The 52-foot-long structure, made with 26 tires from SWEPCO earthmoving equipment, houses a plethora of “luxury bat condos.” Institute officials estimate it could take as long as five years for bats to inhabit the upscale digs constructed for them.