What is a bat house? And better yet, why would you want one on your property? These are both commonly asked questions. Whether you’re just curious or have always wanted to have bats in your yard here’s what you’ll need to know.
Bats are nocturnal creatures that are very helpful to the environment. Where they live is known as a roost. And a bat house is a manmade roost for bats. However, bats have very specific needs and bat houses are designed to meet them.
While there are no guarantee bats will actually use a bat house, because they have features that appeal to them when they are placed in a suitable location they may move in. And that’s a good thing because having them close by offers many advantages.
Bat House Benefits
Many people’s favorite thing about bats is that many species consume insects. Not only do they eat them, but each individual bat can eat very large quantities despite being relatively small in size. Therefore, one of the best bat house benefits is simply having your own army of bug-eating machines.
Bats also produce guano which is one of the best all-natural fertilizers for your lawn or garden. An added benefit is that by providing bats with a house of their own they are much less likely to want to take up residence in yours.
Bat House Basics
Bats generally like to live in narrow crevices. And houses are designed to be narrow as well to mimic them. Houses are also normally wide and tall which allows the house to trap heat and while providing the bats with multiple rooms also called chambers.
Unlike birdhouses, those made for bats have their entrances located at the bottom. Many also have features such as landing pads and even safety nets to catch any falling bat pups. Bat houses are usually made from wood such as red cedar, but also may be made from materials such as recycled plastic as well. If you’re handy and have a set of plans you can build your own bat house from wood.
Bat House Placement
Where you place the house is very important. If it’s not to their liking the bats in your area simply won’t use it. Hanging a bat house in a location where it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day will help since bats like it hot. Placing it within a quarter of a mile of a water source will also help to attract bats.
By mounting your box on a pole or a building instead of a tree it can increase the amount of sunlight it receives. It will also help to keep predators from having access to it. As for height, installing the house ten to twenty feet off the ground is ideal.
You now know the basics of bat houses. With the right location and a suitable house, you’ll soon be on the way to enjoying the many benefits of having bats in your yard.
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