Bat Box Mistakes

Common Bat Box Mistakes

Poor choice of location Boxes need to be placed so it fits the needs of the bats, not us. This box has many issues but one is that it is around human activity. Bats do not like to be disturbed and will move when they are disturbed. Do not place a box around regular human or pet activity. Place the box where the bats have privacy. How to Choose a Bat House Location
Boxes on trees This may be the biggest mistake. Do not place a bat box on a tree. The box should receive a minimum of 6-8 hours of morning sunlight. They are also easy prey for predators and the tree limbs cause obstacles for the bats entering and exiting the box. The best place for a box is on the side of the building or on a pole. Installing a Bat Box
Infested box Boxes can quickly become infested with various critters such as wasps or spiders. The box should be cleaned every winter when bats are gone before they return in the spring. Bat Houses and Wasps
Boxes facing wrong direction It was mentioned above that the boxes should get a minimum of 6-8 hours of morning sun. This is accomplished by facing the box to the south/southeast facing the sun rise. Also, make sure there are no tree branches or other obstacles that would block the sun. Those can be trimmed back. Installing your Bat House
Heavy underbrush or debris Bats need a clear space under the box so they can exit and enter without branches or other debris in their way. Predators can also hide on the underbrush and attack the bats when exiting. Trim back any underbrush so the bats have a clear area for movement. Installing a Bat Box
Box is too low to ground Boxes should be a minimum of 15 feet from the ground. If needed, install a longer pole so the box can be raised up to a comfortable height for the bats. The higher, the better.  Installing your Bat House
Box is wrong color for geographical location Boxes need to be warm so the box may need to be a darker color if it is in the far north. A map of the United States can be found here that shows recommended box colors by geographic location. Shown box is in Ohio and should be a darker color. Criteria for Successful Bat Houses
Irregular chamber sizes Chamber sizes should be around 3/4 of an inch. The chambers in shown box are about 2" which are too large for the bats. I have also seen boxes with chambers all different sizes.  I have several resources that provide plans for building bat boxes that can be found here. Build a Bat Box
Too few of chambers I am not saying to avoid single chamber boxes as they can become a bachelor pad for a male or two. But multi chambers (3 and up) have some advantages. First, they have a better chance of getting maternity roosts as the females like to create large roosts. Second, it gives thee bats the choice to move between chambers that are warmer or cooler. Build a Bat Box
Placing box directly under a light Some bat species may like to hunt insects flying about lights but that does not mean they want their home under a light. These lights can get hot and make the box overheat. Keep boxes in the dark and away from lights or shinny objects. Bat House
Neglect People seem to think they can install a bat box and that is all the work required. They need to be maintained as bats can be very picky about their residence. Winter is the time to do any maintenace as bats are gone. Use that time to clean the boxes and perform any repair work that needs to be completed. How to Maintain Your Bat House

Bat boxes should fit the needs of the bats, not people

Questions or Comments
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