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Bat Houses

Started by Radar67, February 25, 2007, 09:51:12 PM

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Radar67

Anybody ever try using bat houses to help control insects in the summer? I've been reading about how the average little brown bat can consume 500 mosquitoes an hour. The boxes look easy to build and require very little maintenance. A large box can house 300+ bats.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

SwampDonkey

I'd like to try some out on the woodlot near the beaver pond. I don't have bats around the house yard very often.

There is a thread or two on the bats Radar if you search.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Radar67

SD, I have a set plans in PDF format if your interested. From everything I've read, if you see bats occasionally, it won't take long for them to set up residence if the house is built and placed properly.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Ron Scott

Yes, many have been placed by my landowner clients. They are often planned for in Landowner Forest Stewardship Plans. The are several different plans for bat houses.

We also designate bat den trees in suitable habitat areas of planned timber harvest areas.
~Ron

SwampDonkey

I'd rather keep the bats in the woods, it's safer and near water. I don't have much for flies at home except in June. These fields around here get sprayed to death for bugs. Besides it would give me something extra to go look at besides chasing moose. ;)

I'd appreciate looking at your plans. There are a few big large diameter aspen trees around, maybe they would suffice for a winter den. We don't have any caves or crevasses around here. Those little critters sure have it tough up here in the intense cold.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Furby

I built a handfull of these a couple years back.
Something keeps coming up to prevent me from hanging them. ::)
The will be going out within a few weeks though.
Just took a tape into the store with me and measured up the ones they were selling. ;D
A few mods to use wood I had on hand and toss them together.





Radar67

SD, I'll have to send them via email as the file size is 557kb, too large for the forum.

Furby, those boxes look good, but may need to have more height and a landing area. From everything I've read, the inside of the box being the right temperature is the most important part of a habitable home for bats. I also read that allot of the hardware/other store boxes were not good designs. I'd be happy to send you a copy of the file as well.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

WDH

If your house is not sealed up real good, your house can be a bat house  >:(.  I have had them get in a porch light fixture.  Did not know it at the time, but there were always a bunch of bats flying under the porch at dawn, about the time the wife would take out the dog in the morning.  She did not like the bats flying around her.  The exterminator said they had to be roosting nearby, but could not find out where.  One morning I saw a couple crawling around on the porch light.  I looked closer and it looked like there were some dead bugs in the light dome.  I thought that they were trying to get at those bugs.  Well, the wife insisted that I take down the glass dome and clean out the bugs.  You guessed it, it weren't bugs at all, but droppings.  When I took off the dome, I could hear slithering sounds in the metal housing.  I thought it was a snake.  I unscrewed the housing and eased it down expecting a snake.  Oh no, no snake.  A bat crawled out of the gap and looked me right in the eye.  Then, bats came pouring out all over.  Must have been 15 or 20 of them in that light housing in a space about 12" by 12" by 2" deep. 

New porch light fixture with bat proof housing later, and the problem was solved.  It is amazing how small a crack those little rascals can get in.  The fairer sex does not appreciate bats flying around their heads, so locate the bat houses well away if you value marital bliss  ::).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Radar67

I'm looking to put these out on my property close to the creek to help control the bugs, so shouldn't have a problem with the little woman.  :D

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

WDH

Yep, women and bats don't mix well.  Bats make some folks squeamish, like rats do.  I think they are cool.  They are just trying to make a living.  Are the boxes open at the bottom?  I have never seen an on-purpose bat house.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Radar67

Yeah, the bottoms are open. The roof is on a 15 degree angle and they measure 24 inches wide by 30 inches tall. The interior is a series of baffles spaced 3/4 inch apart. And they have a small vertical landing area on the bottom. They are best hung 12 to 14 feet off the ground, painted dark brown or black, facing south and the interior areas have to be scored to give the little critters a good foot hold.

You can find a copy of the PDF file here Bat Boxes

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

DanG

We got bats around here.  They come out at dusk when the skeeters do.  I've checked out my belfry thoroughly and can't find where they sleep. ???
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

WDH

DanG, maybe they are in your porch light 8) 8) 8).

Probably not. 

Radar67, 3/4 " between the interior baffles is tight!  But I guess that is the way they like it. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Furby

I've heard about painting them black, but I've also heard that it will get too hot for them in the sun.
I have one I started to stain brown and planned to do two brown ones and two natural.
I spaced my baffles slightly different spaces apart, just to see what they would like.
I used rough sawn lumber, but the face board was run through the planer once.
I'm not concerned about a "landing platform", they don't have those in caves. ;)
I figure they will land on the sides and crawl in.
If you've never seen a bat crawl, it's pretty cool.


Radar67

DanG, they are suppose to swarm early in the mornings, starting about a half hour before sunrise. This is the best time to find out where they are roosting.

Furby, from what I've read, a dark brown or black color with a black roof is the suggested colors for your area. With the proper vent holes and the right height, they are suppose to be able to adjust the interior temp by roosting higher or lower in the box. A sure sign of the temps being too high inside are seeing a few of them on the outside of the box during the day. (between April and October)

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Murf

There's lotsa bats around my place, even with the Town dropping pellets of larvicide in all the ponds from a helio-chopter every spring.

When I moved in put up a couple of bat houses, the design was from an article I read, in Mother Earth News if I recall correctly. They look like Furby's except the back wall is a couple inches longer to act as a landing pad, and there is a bottom that covers the all but an inch against the back wall. This is supposed to help stop drafts from cooling it too much.

I like sitting out back and watching the little buggers against the sky just before dark. They sure is a talented bunch of aviators.  ;D
If you're going to break a law..... make sure it's Murphy's Law.

Ron Scott

~Ron

Ron Scott

"The Post Bat House Design" is another design that is being used on National Forests and National Parks.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/cave/batpost.htm

~Ron

SwampDonkey

I was thinking that bigger would be better, and Ron's link seems to confirm it. Gonna have to tote my cement mix in the wheel barrel and mix it with pond water. If I can't get pressure treated, I'll use a tamarack post. My biggest fear is having some moose hunter use the box for targets.  :o ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

The plans Radar linked to seem to be pretty good, I'll just add an extra 12 inches to the design.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Tom

Put an official looking sign on the house saying that it has to do with the protection of the newly discovered night flying wooly squirouse, long thought to be extinct.  A $40,000 fine and 15 years of incarceration might add a good touch. The sign won't bother the bats. :D

Furby

Bet they shoot a few extra times with a sign on it. :-\

SwampDonkey

Anything here out of sight of a residence with a sign on it, might as well have a target pasted to it Tom. The red necks like shooting up road signs and sometimes take them as trophies.  ::)

Maybe if I put something up like.

Do not disturb.

Biological insect control.

Myotis lucifugus rearing site.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

LedlieLogs

Swamp Donkey,
I don't know if this will work in your neck of the woods or not. We just stick a Budweiser sticker on anything we don't want shot. Down here the rednecks will not shoot the "King of beers". Long live Little E.
Ledlie
Wildlife Action, GA. A great place for kids. No lights, no phone, no motorcars, not a single luxury. Just the GREAT OUTDOORS and the reason I am learning to mill and build small log cabins.

SwampDonkey

The consumption of copious amounts of that labeled brew is usually behind the destruction.  ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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