Bat House Forum

by **flyin-lowe** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:03 pm

The pole that I am going to put my house on faces south and nothing to the front. However about 10 feet behind it is a single row of trees and brush. They are mainly pine trees and are not real tall. Will this affect the bats willingness to move in? Or as long as the front is open and in the sun, they should be OK.
Thanks

by **flyin-lowe** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:17 pm

I will try to attach a pic from google earth. The pole I will be using is circled in red. As you can see there are some small trees and brush a little ways behind it but there are hundreds of acres of open space beyond that. There is also a 1000 acre lake less then 100 yards from the house. Also there are only three houses on this road so there is little to no traffic. I am going to try to get the house 12-15 feet up at least.

by **Terry Lobdell** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:02 am

I think you are o.k. at 10 feet.......much of what I have read recommends no closer than 20 - 25 feet...........

From my own experience bats appear to be reluctant to use boxes that have tree limbs 2 or 3 feet away........same with shrubs that grow up close to the bottom of a box......

I have a box at a relatives property that has a large lilac bush underneath.........There is a maternity colony of 50 big brown mothers there and they use all the other boxes a lot except that one..........I'm guessing because of the lilac bush......

by **flyin-lowe** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:30 am

I might try to trim some of the stuff back behind it. The pole is actually on state park property but the owner of the pole said I could use it. I am just not sure if the state part wants me trimming back their shrubs at all. It is better to ask for forgiveness. Every year I keep that stretch of grass mowed for them so they owe me on.

by **Terry Lobdell** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:22 am

Yeah, they might be o.k. with trimming the trees back a bit.........I think bats are leery of hawks and owls perching close to their roosts waiting to grab them.......

by **Emersombiguns** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:06 pm

My house has an oak that has not bloomed out much yet but is about 15' behind and they do fine. This direction is behind the house. They come out and turn a 180 and head out between bigger pines and trees. I bet you will be ok...Look at my video I put up tonight, have a big ham antenna above mine and they have no problem..About 51 in there at moment..Randy Haughton,La

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