Anybody got advice on building bat houses?

[struggle4progress]

I've got a small urban corner lot, just over a half acre along a busy street, but there are corridors to undeveloped areas so I get wildlife on the property

For years I had a beautiful six or eight foot black snake, but moronic roofers found it and murdered it

Last spring I saw red fox; raccoon are around; I regularly hear owl; early this week there was a hawk gliding across the grass; yesterday I saw deer; squirrels and chipmunks are everywhere; today I came home to bunny guarding the driveway

Last week, after midnight, somebody was snarling loudly and unpleasantly near the old garage. I declined to investigate. Some of my ancestors were Baskervilles, and I've been told that they really did have a hellhound legend. Maybe that explains why I didn't rush out in the dark to find out who was there

I see the bats sometimes at dusk, with their curious asymmetric wing-flap. Some of the lot is damp and puddled for days after rain, so mosquitoes are about in the summer, and that's one reason I'm fond of them

They're not always smart about where they roost. Sometimes they'd sleep at the top of the chimney pipe and then tumble down into the fireplace and wander around the house confused, until I was smart enough to close off the top of the pipe with wire mesh. In the late summer, I had a poor bat roost between the back door and the storm door. Somewhere around four in the afternoon, s/he lost grip, fell to the doorsill, and was trapped there. We had a very brief conversation, after which the bat was able to fly out and away

So I'm thinking I might to gentrify the roosting opportunities. I could construct some bat housing under the outside eaves of the old garage. The garage side towards the neighbors is only a few feet from her clothesline, and because the property slopes, the eaves are almost at eye level there. I'm not sure how successful I would be explaining to her how wonderful bats are, so I think I'd build the houses in the eaves on the other side, where the eaves are perhaps fifteen feet above the ground and not very visible to anyone, being hidden by the trees

So -- who has built bat houses and what advice can you give?

[Brother Buzz]

1. Google® bat house plans - plenty to choose from

I believe I would desire to plant the poles away from any of my structures as bats tend to poop where they roost. Good stuff for the garden, I just don't want it on my walkways.

[HopeHoops]

3. Agreed. Get the plans from the Internet. Simple to build without guessing.

They are fairly simple, but it will take a fraction of the time if you already have measurements.

[struggle4progress]

9. Available plans vary a lot and not all are equally good, it seems

[HopeHoops]

10. Use a plan that is based on standard 3/4" pine boards - easiest type to make.

[MrScorpio]

2. I know who to ask...

This Guy:

[KurtNYC]

4. he says it should be "stately" and in the style of a Manor

needs a big pole or two, and no girls allowed (apparently).

[rug]

5. Make sure you include the pole.

[Tom_Foolery]

6. I'll have to ask the bats in my belfry...

And get back to you.:+

[snooper2]

7. don't install any lighting

:P

[struggle4progress]

8. Um, right, but curiously the advice I'm seeing calls for placement where there is a certain amount

of direct sunlight on the bathouse daily

[GoCubsGo]

12. That's because sunlight warms up the bat house

Many bat species like warm roosts. Warm and dark. They'll put up with some light, but not constant.

Bat Conservation International sells bat houses and bat house kits. They're a bit pricey, but the proceeds go toward bat conservation: http://www.batcatalog.com/scripts/default.asp

Here's their page on bat houses: http://www.batcon.org/index.php/get-involved/install-a-bat-house.html

This page also gives a list of other places where you can buy a bat house.

[Inchworm]

11. Read up on placement

That seems to be pretty important. I made one a few years back and have only seen bats visiting. They don't actually stay inside the best I can tell. From what I gather from the internets, it was probably the location that caused this.

Oh, and cedar wood is naturally resistant to rotting.

Bats rule! :)

:hi: