Bat House Forum

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I recently placed a bat box on my chimney and noticed 5 or 6 bats this morning. Looked like several different breeds. There are two lakes nearby and I know that these critters will be looking for a place to roost come spring. In the meantime I will be building more bat boxes out of slate with plywood in the interior. I had no idea that there would be this many bats converging directly over my house. Without inspecting every corner of my attic, what would the chances be of bats occupying any part of my attic? 

[Terry Lobdell]

If they can find a crevice they will get in........what area are you located? Here in Pa they like to get into attics which have a dark roof...........they love the heat especially the mothers to raise young......

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I live very close to the Pa line in churchville. I spoke to an individual in Delta (peachbottom area) who counted 36 bats flying out of his attic one evening. I have two lakes nearby and count them a plus. I am experimenting with old slate to make bat houses with. Should prove interesting.

[Terry Lobdell]

Slate should work really well for a bat house. I've had good luck with dark aspalt shingles for the exteriors of some bat houses.

[LarryH]

I live very close to the Pa line in churchville. I spoke to an individual in Delta (peachbottom area) who counted 36 bats flying out of his attic one evening. I have two lakes nearby and count them a plus. I am experimenting with old slate to make bat houses with. Should prove interesting.

Have you checked out the Bat Cam at http://www.pennfuture.org/bats/batphotoarchives.html?  That is 19th century church attic in Canoe Creek State Park, 12 miles east of Altoona. 

It will be interesting to hear how your experiment with slate works out.  We have more bats this year than we have ever had, and I hope we continue to get more every year.  I put up a separate nursery house for them this spring, and was surprised to see that they began using it almost as soon as they arrived.

 

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Slate is a natural resource that gets thrown in the dump. Few understand it. Few roofing contractors know how to slate a roof so they take it off and lay composite. I try my best to talk owners into getting in touch with professional roof slaters to repair slate roofs. Probem is by the time they call in a roofer the actual roof decking has rotted underneath.  A few broken or wind blown slates just comdemned the whole roof. I try to intercept the slate before it goes to the dump. Peachbottom slate was the first slate mined in this country. I am going to an inn that was slated in the 30's that means that slate is still good for the next 150 years. I ought to make great bat houses with it.

  Delta, Pa has a lot of Bats and a lot of slate so go figure.:cool:. I also rescue the slate because the average income cannot afford reslated roofs by professional roofing slaters. My way of helping my fellow man.

Ought to keep a bat house up and running for a 100 years or so. :D

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I just built a three chamber 14'' wide by 20'' tall and slated it. It is heavy, like is said before i am experimenting... I haven't put up the vacancy sign up yet because I have yet to figure how to hang, attach to a pole without the weight pulling it down.

 

[Terry Lobdell]

That is a nice looking bat house..........the color looks just about right also...........How much does it weigh?

[U.S.SFC_RET]

About 15 or so pounds. A bit heavy, I should have started with a single chamber instead of a three chamber but I was having fun. I have a dish network that isn't being used and I think it is going to be ideal. I should be able to mount it because it is already on the chimney and I can rotate it because it is a pole.  I will use an infra red temperature gun to take temp measurements to determine if the bat house is too hot and if it is I will rotate it to cool it.