Bat House Forum

[Richathome]

I raised my bat houses in May and they are now occupied. A 3 chamber house and a 5 chamber house back to back but not interconnected on the same pole. I was out of town all of June and after returning home the first week of July I noticed the droppings. Last evening I observed 21 bats dropping out of both houses and tonight I counted 18 that exited them. They appear to be little browns and I am very happy with my new back yard friends.

How would I tell if this is a successful maternity colony or if its a congregation of males using the housing? I believe they have their pups in June. I've got a lot of learning to do with these bats. I'll be out of town again for a few weeks and that limits my observation but fortunately they manage quite well by themselves. When should I expect the bats to leave the housing here in central Illinois? Will they continue using the housing until they head for their hibernation area?

Thanks, Rich.

[kerbat]

congradulations Rick.

Can't answer any of your questions since I live in S Fla. I have certainly enjoyed "my" bats whick my wife constantly reminds me that they are wild and not mine :>)

It is nice to be able to leave and come back and find they are still here. I've been gone for 2 weeks and counted 187 brazilian free tails egressing last evening.

good luck and I am sure you will get your answers from the forum shortly.

Bernie

[Terry Lobdell]

Rich, the number of bats indicates you have a maternity colony.

Your bats will probably start to leave some time in August. I live in NWPA and my little browns start leaving a few at a time early in August.

You will probably have a few bachelors roosting into October.

You have been very successful to have that much occupancy so soon! Your colony will probably grow a little bit each year........maybe even faster!

[Mulator]

I hung my first house today.  I really don't expect anything this year.  Has anyone heard of bats moving into a new pad this late in the year?  I have water and plenty of insects.  Every night I watch the bats fly around the area I hung the house.

[Terry Lobdell]

Mine, both little and big browns explore new bat houses much more later in the season after pups are flying.

[cloudman75]

I have two houses a medium three chamber and a large 5 chamber. My little browns first used the large house but moved into the smaller house with their pups. I have decided that it was due to the temperature being too cold in the larger house. Once the pups were flying, more than half have recenty moved back to the larger house. I am in north Georgia with similar summer temps that you have in VA. I think. It  has been my experience that some bats sleep in the woods, or less than ideal places. They always seem to be ready to improve on their roost and appear to investigate new bat houses. I have placed mine in several locations and usually get  a few even one using the house alone for a time. The bottom line is you can get lucky and have a few or many move into your house after pups are flying. My suggestion is to have two houses for your temperatures. One painted blue,One unpainted. It has been very successful for me. My next house now under construction will be dark on the upper 3rd, light blue in the middle and white on the lower third with  a ventilation slot .I have little browns and about 6 evening bats that live with the little browns each year. How about some details of your bat house?

Good luck.

 

[Mulator]

My bat house is a 3 chamber version.  It is unfortunately a store bought one because I am just now getting into this hobby and I have to tell you....there is alot more to it than I thought....I though intially that you just kind of hang it and they come....You know "If you build it, they will come."  The only difference is that I bought it and hope they will come!:)  Right now the box is not painted.  I wanted to put it up while I continue to do research.  I thought your design of multiple colors was interesting.  That was the first post I read with that design.  Let us know how that works out.  Have you heard of others doing that?  I was considering painting the roof black, but have not considered phasing the color as I go down the box.

I really appreciate all of the help you folks are giving me.  It is honestly making this more fun.

 

 

[cloudman75]

My smaller house is store bought three chamber but 24 inches high and 14 inches wide with screening for the baffles. It is cedar and unpainted. The bats love it. The one I am building now is for maternity colonies made from an old garbage bag holder and junk materials on hand including the paint. No I have not heard of anyone painting one three colors. I'm just trying a few things to see what happens. This one is a Johnson type as the garbage holder had that shape and dimensions, It is about 24 inches high, 12 inches by 12 inches.  It is tight fittting made of 1 inch pine boards. I plan to put in a few baffles and then a wide chamber for the mothers to have pups if they desire. Under the wide chamber will be a board slanted to let the droppings fall out but with a rough surface to help any little pups hold on and not fall out. I, like several other forum members, just want to do something different on this bat house. I have viewed a lot of different designs on this forum. I will get it up so the bats will be familiar with it before they hibernate for the winter. Also there are batchelors that rejoin the females later after the pups are flying. Some of these may decide to stay in the new house. All my pups are flying. My exit count this week was 94 bats total from both houses.

[Mulator]

That is awesome.  94!  My house sounds like the same as your store bought house.  Same size measurements. 

My biggest concern right now is the amount of direct sunlight the house gets.  I was watching the sun for the last couple of days on the spot I put the house.  I put the house about 15 feet up and noticed today that there is a high branch on a tree that starts to shade the house earlier than I thought it would.  Have to get out the saw!....That thing has to go!.  Really wonder if a little shade is ok.  I think I can wait and give it a chance before I begin messing with the woods behind the house.

[Terry Lobdell]

If you get 3 or 4 hours of direct sunlight, that may be enough to make it warm enough for the bats.

Generally speaking, more sun is better, but I have seen where even a few hours of sun is enough.

[Mulator]

I should be good.  I know I am at least getting 4.  If I trim a branch...of course it is up there high....I can extend the lighting.  Last night there were bats flying all over the place where I have the house.  I really think it is a matter of time.  I checked this morning and there is no sign on the house that anything moved in.  It's only been a couple of days, so no surprise there. 

[cloudman75]

Is your house mounted on a pole, a tree, or a sructure?

The concern for sunlight more than 4 hours would only affect your bats when they are looking for a place to have pups in my opinion. They do like it warm at that time. In your area where summer temps are 83 and higher to the 90s as you said I think on a previous post, a flying colony will be warm enough. I had a strange experience this year when the bats had pups in a larger house, then left with the pups. I put up a smaller house one afternoon and the next morning the bats were in the smaller house with their pups. After giving it a lot of thought, I have decided that they could not control the temperature to keep the pups warm in the larger house. The smaller house, 3 chambers, suited them just fine where they stayed until the pups were flying. Now,most have moved back to the larger house, while some are still in the 3 chamber. It has been in the 90s here for weeks on most days. My houses are both on metal poles around 20 ft high. Haymarket is an interesting little town and I wish you success with your batting efforts.

[Mulator]

Right now I have it on a tree about 15 feet or so up.  Maybe a little more.  That is interesting that the bats moved to the smaller house so quickly.  I'm really hoping something moves in. 

Another thing I keep wondering about is the type of bats flying around here.  They are very small.  I assume they must be brown bats....not sure.  I will have to research the type of bats that frequent this area.

Love GA.  Have family in Atlanta, Snellville, Stockbridge and Hogansville.  Great place with great Civil War history as well.

[Joe Spencer]

Tree mounted houses can be successful however, they are a last resort for bats behind those mounted on buildings and poles/posts.  The reason is exposure to sun (lack thereof) and predator roost proximity.  Lone/dead trees have more success than others.

[cloudman75]

I agree with Joe's comments about tree mounts. Especially for your first house, I would suggest that you mount it on a pole if at all possible. The house you described is not all that heavy so I hope getting it off the tree ,if it is a live tree, is something you may consider. Everything I have read would document that a tree is the least desirable mount. If you have no choice then you have done all you can do. If you have a choice, then a post woud give you a better chance of bats in a resonable time frame. My brother has an ideal location with a house on the lake. His bat house is still empty after 2 years mounted on a pine tree with the limbs trimmed off up to 25 ft. He sees bats flying all the time in summer. He bought the same bat house I did.. I can't help on your type bats,except to say they could be evening bats, or eastern pipistrelles if smaller than little browns. Hang in there and best of luck. I am in metro Atlanta, not a native came from N.C. We have 6 1/2 acres so plenty of bat habitant west side of the big A.