Bat house

[miamw]

I didn't know if this was a scrolling question or not, that's why I put this thread in the off topic area.

I have a tremendous mosquito problem where I live and someone told me that if I attract bats, then they would help control the problem. I don't know how true it will prove to be, but I at least want to give it a shot.

Does anyone on here know anything about bats and their habitat and how to attract them? Do I need to build a special bat house like a bird house? If so, where to I get plans for it and where do I put the house after finishing it?

Any help or suggestions would be well appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Dusty Buffalo]

Mia,

We have bats on our property and have little to no mosiquto problem. I have plans to make a bat house, but haven't actually done it yet. I just googled bat houses and got a ton of responses. They give plans and where and how to hang the houses. I don't have the plans with me or I would post the link. Some of the houses are a little different, but pretty much all follow the same structure. Just depends on how detailed you want to get.

On thing to remember is that you need to use untreated, rough wood. The chemicals can make the bats sick or kill them and they need the rough wood to have something to hang onto.

The plans I have look fairly simple, and I even bought a cedar fence slat to build it out of. I think I paid $.97 for it.

[PuzzledMoose]

This site here sounds like a pretty reputable organisation who know what they are talking about. There's a link on the left to Bat Houses and some info and plans .. http://www.batcon.org/

Shame bats don't eat blackfly - they're are far worse menace than mosquitos around here - vicious little b***ers ..

[ScrollNut]

http://www.batcon.org/home/default.asp

http://www.town.gladstone.mb.ca/bats.php

[owler]

This site also has a lot of good information. You can order an inexpensive booklet that gives you tips and plans.

I just built one a couple of months ago based on plans from this booklet. They also sell inexpensive plastic mesh to line the inside of the house.

Some tips:

1. Needs to be water tight. Consider sealing joints with caulk.
2. Depending on where you live, it shold be painted black or brown on the outside to absorb heat (babies have no fur)
3. There should be a ventilation slot on the front face about 1/3 up from the bottom to allow a change in heat.
4. It should be mounted in the open as high as you can get it. Bats locate these by sight and there sight is poor. Houses mounted on trees will take longer to find.
5. It should really be up by now because they are scouting for places to roost this time of the year.

I put mine up about a month ago. I will let you know if is successful. So far I have not seen any bats in the evening at all. They are late coming out this year.

[Neal Moore]

I built several of bat houses several years ago. I think I got the plans from an old wood working magazine. I placed the houses on four different light poles that held dusk to dawn lights and put them about 15 feet up on the poles. Three of the houses were occupied within a month the first summer and the fourth also had residents before summer was over. I moved away but I guess the bats are still there.

I have read that one bat can eat up to 500 misquitos a night.

[unixpro]

But...I don't see the sliding pole or any place to park the BatMobile, BatBoat, or BatCopter. What's up with that??

[Haggard3230]

Dan, where do you get the plastic mesh? We have a pond and a river close by and need to build one or two of these.
Merle

[Huntter2022]

doing nusiance control work I have removed alot of bats from homes. be careful they can care alot germs but then alot other things do too. There dropping in a attic or else were I use a hepa filter vacuum a respirtor and tievect suit to clean there mess up.

just becareful
David