Bat Houses

[b116757]

Anybody built any bat houses you have had any luck getting bats to use? I built one a few years ago and never had a single bat use it to my knowledge. I’m looking for proven design before I build any more. I even have two grain storage rooms in one of the barns of the new farm that if I could think up a economical baffle roost system wouldn’t hurt my feelings to dedicate to bats.

 

[Telemark]

What design did you use? What color are they? How much sun do they receive?

 

[b116757]

https://www.batcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/4-Chamber-Nursery-House-Plans.pdf

SouthEast side of a round concrete silo so quite a bit of sun.

 

[Telemark]

That could be the problem. Might just be too warm or too exposed.

 

[b116757]

I could try moving to full East side see if it makes a difference maybe or even slightly northeast. There is business in town that has a steel advertising sign on their east wall that has a colony living behind it so maybe it is to hot.

 

[Telemark]

I could try moving to full East side see if it makes a difference maybe or even slightly northeast. There is business in town that has a steel advertising sign on their east wall that has a colony living behind it so maybe it is to hot.

What color is the sign?

 

[b116757]

I stained it black when I built it a couple years ago it has weathered to lighter grey now

 

[b116757]

sorry my misunderstanding of your question the sign is dark blue with a black steel surround

 

[Hoytvectrix]

https://www.batcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/4-Chamber-Nursery-House-Plans.pdf

SouthEast side of a round concrete silo so quite a bit of sun.

That's the design that we used. We would always get some bats to nest in them the first year or two and then never go to them again. This is a great thread and I hope there is some good discussion.

 

[b116757]

That's the design that we used. We would always get some bats to nest in them the first year or two and then never go to them again. This is a great thread and I hope there is some good discussion.

Where did you mount yours including what side if on a building?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Where did you mount yours including what side if on a building?

We always put ours in trees with the box facing East. There was almost no direct sunlight on any of them. Of course, now that I think about it, coons or other critters may explain their limited use. I wonder if they would have done better attached to a structure that wouldn't allow critters to pester them.

 

[Angus 1895]

Tag

 

[b116757]

The sign I know has a healthy bat population living behind it mounted to east wall of the building.

 

[Jillbo]

From what I've read, bat house colors depend on how much sun it gets in your chosen location and the temperature zone you are in. In general: South facing- light color, SE- medium tone, East- darker. Also, mounting the houses where predators can not reach them is important. We mount them under eaves far enough down from the roof that they can't be reached or we mount them on a metal post similar to a purple martin house. We also use bat pheromone spray as an attractant.