Bat House Forum

[Emersombiguns]

Hello to all, just found this site. I am located in Haughton,La in the NW corner of the state. Here is a shot of my house in the back yard. 2nd year to have bats. House was up for 4 yrs before they moved in. Last night had 71 come out..Homemade house. I have a IR wireless camera and freq conversion receiver I listen to them on. I am currently working on a way to turn the camera and receiver on together with 4 small car digital clocks with alarm. I can watch then 80' away inside house on my regular TV leaving! I hope to have the system set up off 12v battery. Let you know with pix later.

[Joe Spencer]

Great work and patience. Like that video feed strategy. Looking forward to your future posts...

[Emersombiguns]

I counted last night and got 103. My exit time in NW La is 8:03 to 8:18pm. When about 85 had came out- I had one come back and buzz the house by flying up into the bottom, and then veering off and then coming around the house and doing it again. All the time chirping loudly(freq receiver catching it) like to tell others to come out. It then went right back in the house on 4th time of flying up to the bottom. I waited and about 4 or 5 min later- I got another 18 or so that came out-not counting the one I knew went back in. A group of about 4 of them "swarmed" around the house in circle before heading off away. I have built another house slightly taller with 5 compartments. I cemented in a pipe today which will hold the 18' pivoting mast up.
I have read where guano is not supposed to attract them. Well, I bought some from Alpena,Ar and put it in a small plastic microwave tray 4' under this house. I went from 20 a month ago to around 100 now. Something did it ..Post some pictures of new house in few days. Randy Haughton, La

[cloudman75]

I have seen the behavior you described myself. Also I think I see a few Mexican freetails in with the little browns. The
freetails will look kinda grey compared to little browns. They also have narrow wings and really come out flying fast. I
could be wrong but looking at the photo it sure looks like a few mixed in. If you get a close up of their head, the ears appear to almost grow together on their head while the little browns have a space between them. It could just be a color variation of the bats which you said were little browns. I have some freetails that roost with my little browns in metro Atlanta area.
Congrats on the colony after 4 years and I believe you will have some pups to see before too many more weeks. They will most likely move into your new house by summer's end. I have a 5 chamber that they like very much with pups.
Keep us posted and welcome to the forum.

Frank

[Emersombiguns]

Well after some painting and bad weather coming through NW La last night I got the second house up. This one was HEAVY. It is little taller. I used two 14' 2*4's which were bolted together around 1' from one end to make a "scissor" affair. Then it was lightly wrapped around the pole. We then put another 8' one across the bottom to make it not be able to spread apart on the bottom near ground level. Also , we pointed the ends to stick into the ground. After about 60 degrees it went up pretty easy. Here is a shot of it beside the other house. Maybe 16' up..I could hear the bats up there slightly chirping as we were working under neath. Anyway, 106 came out tonight.
Thanks for the response. Yes, I noticed I did have a couple much larger bats coming out at the last-I think I do have more than just small brown one's in there. I will let you know if the guano I smeared on the landing deck on the new one helps. Raw pine on the inside, so maybe they will "find" it soon. Randy Haughton, La

[Emersombiguns]

Had to reduce file size of picture. Here is shot of new house on the right. Left house had 106 come out on 05022010.

[Dave Miller]

I love the artwork! Nice job.