Bat House Forum

[AlamedaBatGirl]

I have a Bat house in the East Bay (Alameda County) and I have had no luck getting any bats to inhabit it. Dioes anyone know anything about Bats in my neck of the woods? I think I have done everything I can to make the bat house hospitable to bats yet I have not noticed too many (or any really) flying around my neighborhood. Does anyone know about Bats in the East Bay?

[IowaNate]

 The Mexican freetailed bat is very common in your area and is a frequent bat house occupant. These bats tend to favor houses as high from the ground as possible (15 feet or more is best). The general criteria of bat houses is the same for freetails as most other species...3/4" chamber width, good solar heating for at least 6 hours of the day, bat house should painted or stained a dark color for your area, and mounted within 1/4 mile of a freshwater stream, river, or lake.

  If you give us more details on the style of house, how high it is mounted, and what direction it faces...we should be able to help you out more. Failure to meet the standard requirements of a bat house and it's mounting location tend to make a bat house undesirable to bats.

[AlamedaBatGirl]

I think I have met all the bat house criteria - I made the house from a kit and painted it black myself.
Two problems: One is the freshwater - we are near the Bay which is brackish, and also a lagoon; there are probably streams around but I can not think of one off hand: it's more marshy territory.
The house faces South but the second problem may be a pain-in-the-butt neighbor who keeps a bright lingt on all night that faces the bat house. Would that keep them from coming in?
Maybe I'll try and find a higher location - I'm right around 15' right now. But also a location that is sheilded from that light?

[IowaNate]

 The light could pose a problem, exactly how much though...I can't say. Is the house pole mounted or on a building? Bats have been known to find houses mounted on buildings a bit quicker then pole mounted houses. How long has the house been hung? A few of my houses took a full season to be occupied, whereas two others were occupied within a week.

[AlamedaBatGirl]

Hmmm. I seem to have a lot of my bases covered. It is mounted on the back of a facade that rided above my garage. And it's been up there since 2003 with no bat action. . . .

[IowaNate]

  There is definately something wrong then, the absence of seeing bats flying in the area might be the biggest problem. If anything, I would try a different location and try to get the house higher if you can. Make sure your house has vents to prevent overheating as well. What kit did you make the house from? Can you give us basic measurements or a link to a website with the house?

 

[Terry Lobdell]

I have a bat house mounted on a security light pole that had 38 little brown bats in it last summer.........I don't think light is your problem.........

I do have one location in excellent habitat (8 bat houses) where I've had little to no bat occupancy.

I think sometimes if they have a good roost/roosts (attics of a buildings) they just won't leave to investigate a nearby bat house even if it does meet all the criteria.

My only suggestion would be to mount more bat houses if you can in a variety of locations........  

[Terry Lobdell]

Can you post a picture of your bat house?

[AlamedaBatGirl]

I  will try to post a picture. By Monday. . . .

Thanks  for the info re: the light. I guess that may *not* be my problem.