Bat Box Crafts

Bats setting out on an evening prowl.fruit bats 6. image by mdb from Fotolia.com

Constructing a bat box to help relocate or attract bats has many benefits. It helps conserve dwindling bat populations, and has the added benefit of insect control. In places where mosquito populations are a problem, insect-eating bats provide a less hazardous, more long-term and environmentally friendly solution to control than spraying. The successful habitation of bat boxes depends on good construction, a good site and patience. It may take a year or more for bats to find your bat box.

The Bat Box Itself

Bat boxes vary in size and construction based on available materials and the preferred habitat of the species. But they all share certain characteristics. The roof is slanted to prevent water damage and discourage bird landing. The entrance is a long strip through the bottom and is very narrow: only 3/4 inch to one inch wide. A vertical landing space hangs down several inches, and is roughed or covered in plastic mesh so the bats can climb it easily. The box is sealed airtight so that heat doesn't escape. Ventilation slits are installed two-thirds of the way down the box. The outside is often painted black or dark shades to absorb heat during the day.

Bat boxes are often placed on the southern face of the home or of a tree. But some people aren't comfortable having bats so close to open windows, and trees present problems with shade and bat predators. A bat pole can be placed in a sunny, wind-sheltered part of a property. Poles can be heavy wood or metal, but must reach at least 12 to 14 above ground level, with some as tall as 20 feet.

Few things squelch the enthusiasm new bat box builders as much as the seeing the dribbling proof of bats using their new box running down the side of the house. Simple spacers, built one or more inches thick, can reduce the guano stains for bat boxes mounted on the side of the house. Spacers can also set the bat box further out into the sunlight, away from the shade of the eaves of the house. Since bat boxes need seven hours or more of direct sunlight to be warm enough for bats, this also increases the chance that bats will find and inhabit your box.

If you've always wanted to build a gurgling backyard pond, here's one more reason to do so. Bats need a source of water near their nesting site, and the water attracts their insect prey. They can hear exceptionally well, and the sound of moving water attracts them. According to Bat Conservation and Management, Inc., bats are more attracted to sites that have a permanent water source such as a pond within 1,500 feet of the roosting site.