So last summer the insect population at my property was unbelievable, so this year I am recruiting bats to help with a little population control. This little box will house between 250 and 350 bats. I have read where one bat can eat 1200 mosquitoes per hour!



Unfortunately the drought seems to have taken this 100+ year old tree that the bat cave will be located on.

Latest I read said that bats would rather get more bang for their effort than skeeters, preferring bigger game.

Dragonflies, or as we used to call them, mosquito hawks, are the way to go.

Not that I don't like bats, always like seeing them. There are some caves in NC where you can see a multitude come out in the gloaming of the evening, it's quite impressive.

I'd love to put up a bat house or two on the grounds of the seniors' apartment complex where I live, but I know what would happen. Most of the old women and some of the men would freak--they get in your hair, rabies risk, vampirism, the lot. The vampire part wouldn't be spoken aloud, but it would be there.

May have to find a place off the premises.

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Oh well, what the hell.

If you don't have success in getting them to roost in your box, try moving it out in the open onto a telephone or light pole. They may have trouble locating the box back under the tree like it is now. I put one up back from the edge of a lake like you did, and they never came to it back in the trees. I believe they like to have relatively unobstructed access to the box, and temperatures inside the box have a lot to do with their comfort. Keep us posted on how it works out, as I believe you are heading in the right direction. They love mossies!

A couple of years ago bats decided that the shutters on my house made great houses for them. While they were there I could definitely tell that they made an impact on the mosquito population. They were interesting to watch at dusk flitting through my back yard diving on the insects.

What a mess they made of the siding on my house though. Also. their comings, and goings at night at my bedroom window were not good for sleeping.

It was a major job sealing around my shutters with furring strips to keep them away.

Thats right bugs...THIS IS SPARTA!

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the rules? there are no rules

Maybe if you didn't wear your cape, and covered up your Romanian accent?

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the rules? there are no rules

I would like to mount on a pole, however it would cook the little mammals as temps here get well above 100. I will clear out all obstructions to the cave and hope they nest in the sweet new apartment!

Where, pray tell, does one buy a bat box?

The yuppie bats go here:


Bat Houses, Bat House Sale - BestNest.com!

There are a number of web sites that have information pertaining to bats. Most of them recommend placing the box on a pole, at least 15' above the ground, with at least 20' clear space around it, facing SE. Placing it on a tree puts them in easy reach of owls and hawks, and may shade the box too much. Bats like warmth, between 85 and 104 degrees, daytime temperature is ideal. The box can be painted a light color if the temps exceed this during the day. Go to the website, OBC | Organization for Bat Conservation, and read what they have to say about bats. It is fascinating. Check out the other sites also, as each one will broaden your bat knowledge, and soon, you will be the 'battiest' person in your neighborhood.

For the last few summers I have had a few bats in my neighborhood (besides the ones in my belfry) Hardly ever get a mosquito bite now.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

Dad put up a bathhouse to fight the Mosquitos, it didn't work. I suppose because he put it on a tree instead of a pole. It would be nice to introduce a large dragon fly population.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Here In Iron Mountain Mi. we have the second largest bat population. Largest is in Houston Texas. We have a lot of lakes and rivers hear my home nary a skitter bite. The bats are cool to watch at dusk flying around.

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Carpriver.