Bat House Forum

[dasycneme]

This box is a Taverham Mill in Norfolk and has a roost of pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pygmaeus)also it has been in use for 9 years, this is all the info I have and I would be interested if anyone knows about it size etc.  It appears to have a small opening each side for an entrance, therefore, is it not self cleaning or is the bottom on a hinge?

I know this is a chance in a million but I have tried sources in the UK with no success.
Cheers
Roger

http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dasycneme/images/detail/#583/taverhammillpipbatboxbk9.jpg

[Erik]

Hi Dasycneme,

this is a standard Nursery House. The openings on the side panels are vents (ventilation holes). The bat house has no hinge, but the picture is not very clear. This type of bat house has 2 or 3 panels inside the bat house, creating 3 or 4 crevices the bats can roost in.

Erik

P.S. With Dasycneme as a forum name you must be a european bat worker! Are you? There are to few european bat workers working with large bat boxes, so spread the word about large bat houses!

[dasycneme]

Thanks Erik, agreed poor photograph, it is interesting to see this box in use, in the UK we are begining to see this type of box being used by bats although little information is shared! I know that you have very good results and Tore Chr Michaelson (tore.michaelsen@student.uib.no) is also doing well particullary with P.pygmaeus. My best results have been using Schwegler boxes but never with pipistrelles, hopefully with your examples, Tore and this forum I be more successful. Finally yes I am based in South East england where we have a few records of the pond bat, I am sure there are more here than many think. Cheers Roger

[dasycneme]

Apparently the box I was enquiring about has been at the location together with another similar box on a different aspect for 14-15 years, in this time it has been used every year except for the first one. The 'designer' is rather secretavive with regards to the construction, however, he does say that there is some type of insulation built into the box. The maximum number of bats (Pipistrellus pygmaeus)counted has been 318. This box is south facing whilst the second faces the east, both are on brick walls which act as a heat sinc.
Cheers and Happy Christmas to you all
Roger