Bat Houses

Shoda 6/9/2010, 8:07 pm

Last night while I was walking the yard with my dogs, I saw a couple of bats flying around our apple tree! It was so cool.

I read in one of the other forums about folks building bat boxes to help attract and keep them. I searched the web and there are just too many options. How do I know what kind of bats they are (if it matters) so I know what they want in a house?

Side note: One of the things I love about being in the garden more is all the wonderful wildlife I am seeing. It was probably always there but I just didn't notice it. Guess that isn't that uncommon but it feels great to be "connected".

martha 6/9/2010, 9:42 pm

I posted a site I found. I might have to review what I have. I put up bat houses last year and haven't seen any yet, although it is possible that they are here - in their own houses - and I just haven't seen them.

Anyway, I thought this info seemed pretty useful - they sell bathouses, but they also give specifics on what makes a successful house.

http://www.batconservation.org/content/Bathouseimportance.html

Shoda 6/10/2010, 4:54 pm

Martha,

Great website thanks! I think the best place for us to put a bat house is against the house. Unfortunately, the preferred south/east side is the master bedroom wall.

Just how noisy is a house full of 100 bats? Maybe I don't want one. I am a very light sleeper. Bat Houses Sleep

martha 6/10/2010, 5:12 pm

really good question! I'll ask around to see if I can find anyone that had an invasion - intentional or not - of bats and see what they thought (or heard!)

Bat Houses 523562

(I've been wondering when I would have a chance to use that one!)

Shoda 6/10/2010, 5:26 pm

Oh... I wasn't really worried about the Bat Houses 523562

invading MY HOUSE. I just don't want them throwing parties in their house if we share a wall. Nothing is worse then noisy neighbors when you are trying to sleep.

Bat Houses 109486

for checking around!

martha 6/10/2010, 10:41 pm

no, I know - but if anyone has had their house invaded, they would know how noisy they are when partying Bat Houses 523562

!

Retired Member 1 6/10/2010, 11:05 pm

Well, as a belfrybat, I can tell you that we are not noisy at all! We use sonar that you poor humans can't even hear, and since our bodies are super soft and pliable we don't even make noise when we come home to roost. A little rustling perhaps when we are getting settled, but nothing that will sound through your wall.

The two issues I can think of about having our house up against your house wall is you might scare us, especially if you put our house near a window. Can you imagine the fright of trying to come home and having big ugly hairless humans walking around? Bat Houses Affraid

The other issue is we produce wonderful guano which some humans use in their gardens, but it might also stick to the wall of your house since our house doesn't have a floor. Bat Houses Icon_smile

I think I'll just stay in my belfry.

nancy 6/11/2010, 9:09 am

One of the things I remember about my days at the museum (where I worked with the bat colony) was that it could take years for bats to choose the house you built them.

Another thing I remember is that they can be very aromatic. And noise could be an issue only if they have babies in the box.

I trust BCI and their info will be very good. Bat Houses 523562

nancy 6/11/2010, 9:11 am

Oops - here is a link to BCI:

http://www.batcon.org/index.php/get-involved/install-a-bat-house.html

ske 6/11/2010, 12:26 pm

I'd like to put up some bat houses one of these days. I've read they eat a lot of mosquitos and other insects you don't care to have around.

trustinhart 6/11/2010, 12:36 pm

We're not sure, but we think our bats are living in one of our chimneys. Our house is 111 years old with multiple fireplaces and chimneys. We usually find them in the house after a rain. We think they move about because the rain comes down the chimney. I don't have any problem with them, but they creep hubby out!!!. He has a thing about rats and these are rats with wings. Bat Houses 523562

The REAL problem with them is when our grandchildren visit. We don't want the kids having any accidental contact with them. You know, rabies and all that stuff. We still have those hateful tiger mosquitoes, even the bats can't keep up with them.
We haven't had any problem with noise until they are actually in the house and hubby let's me know they're there.. Bat Houses Affraid

Happy gardening!!!

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