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Bats in Your Backyard |
Attracting bats to your bat
house…
For prey opportunities, bats prefer to live near water, especially around
marshes, lakes, and rivers. Bats also find enough insects to eat around orchards
and other agricultural areas.
The location of your bat house is important. For example, baby bats thrive best where daytime temperatures are between 80-100F. To achieve these temperatures, a bat house should receive at least 6 hours of morning sun, depending on your latitude. In warm climates, it should be shaded in the afternoon. The Basically Bats' bat house is painted dark brown on the top one-third and white on the bottom two-thirds. This provides a temperature range within the house, allowing bats to seek out a comfortable spot. Bats also seem to prefer locations that are relatively protected from the wind.
Mount your bat house securely to the eastern side of a building, or on a post, approximately 12-15 feet above ground. You may increase your chances of attracting bats if bat houses are mounted in different locations around your property.
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| Figures. Front and side view of a Basically Bats' bat house. See Build a Better Bat House. |
There are no guarantees that bats will inhabit your house, but
be patient. If after three or four years, you have no bats, place
the bat house in a new location. NEVER attempt to relocate bats.
They have strong homing instincts and will attempt to return
to their original roost. Furthermore, such activities are illegal
in most states.
There is much to learn about attracting bats to bat houses. If you are successful, please let us know at:
Basically Bats, Inc.,
106 Spooner Road
Hawthorne, FL 32640
batcons@mindspring.com
Fenton, M.B., Bats. Facts on File, Inc., New York, NY (1992). 207 pp.
Hill, J.E. and Smith, J.D., Bats: A Natural History. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX (1986). 243 pp.
Tuttle, M.D., America's Neighborhood Bats. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX (1988). 96 pp.
Williams-Whitmer, L.M. and Brittingham, MC. A Homeowner's Guide to Northeastern Bats and Bat Problems. The Pennsylvania State University, University Part, PA. 22 pp.
Page updated by Tamara
Romaine of
Page last updated 09 December 2006
