Bat House Forum

[Myotismike]

Hello everyone,
I'm glad I found this site. There is so much great infoheretherecent outbreak of WNS has got me very concerned about bats. I've always had a passion for bats, so I have recently started to build my own bat houses from the BCI handbook. So far I have completed 10 bat houses, I have been donating them to people and trying to find new places that I can put them up.as i have two up at my place, does anyone have any experience with hanging bat houses on hydro/powerline poles? Just wondering if there is any issues with vibrations from live wires? Cause just think of the endless amount of locations. Here in rural Ontario people own there hydro poles going onto there properties if i could talk people into hanging bat houses there poles this would be great for bats. I am a lineman by trade and i have often thought about throwing a few up on poles owned by my employer, but it is such a huge company i don't know how that wound go over,So private poles maybe . thx guys

[Terry Lobdell]

Welcome! I have a couple boxes on outside light poles and both are used by little brown bats........The electric companies here in PA don't want bat houses mounted on their poles......probably a safety concern for when they have to be climbed for maintenance.......

I suppose where you are at if you had permission it would be worth a try.........I've been at this about 12 years now and I have found that in the right habitat bats will roost just about anywhere.........my guess is vibration from a transformer or power lines probably would not bother them

If vibration was a concern maybe a rubber washer between the box and the pole to absorb the vibration might be worth a try?

[Myotismike]

Thx Terry
Im going to give it a try,and I am literally going door to door, trying to talk people into hanging bat houses on there poles, cause this removes alot of hassle for people to help out. If somone like me is going to do all the work and there is no need to buy a post why not ....... game on right

[Terry Lobdell]

I know if I could mount boxes on power line poles I would have so many out there! The right of ways cut through forest are perfect habitat!
Keep us posted on how it goes for you!

[Joe Spencer]

Hello everyone,
I'm glad I found this site. There is so much great infoheretherecent outbreak of WNS has got me very concerned about bats. I've always had a passion for bats, so I have recently started to build my own bat houses from the BCI handbook. So far I have completed 10 bat houses, I have been donating them to people and trying to find new places that I can put them up.as i have two up at my place, does anyone have any experience with hanging bat houses on hydro/powerline poles? Just wondering if there is any issues with vibrations from live wires? Cause just think of the endless amount of locations. Here in rural Ontario people own there hydro poles going onto there properties if i could talk people into hanging bat houses there poles this would be great for bats. I am a lineman by trade and i have often thought about throwing a few up on poles owned by my employer, but it is such a huge company i don't know how that wound go over,So private poles maybe . thx guys

For vibrations: As Terry mentioned rubber washers would help however, I have found that memory foam like Tempur-Pedic or even the cheaper memory foam mattress toppers work great for vibration dampening. You might get a few years out of it before it degrades. At least enough time to attract bats. If you don't have a memory foam mattress topper where you can trim a couple corners off it to try, just go to the Tempur-Pedic website and request a free sample. Mine took less than 2 weeks to arrive. Good luck

[flyin-lowe]

I have my house mounted to a wooded utility company pole across the street from my house. I got permission from the electric company and the guy told me that "nobody" climes the poles anymore. I am sure that some very small municipalities might but most use a truck and lift. I haven't seen a person actually climbing one of the poles in years around my neck of the woods.

[Myotismike]

hey Flyin
Do u have any bats living in the house? And you are right we don't climb poles hardly at all anymore, the bucket is my office

[William Bagwell]

And you are right we don't climb poles hardly at all anymore, the bucket is my office

Nothing to do with bats... Last summer I volunteered to help pollinate American chestnut trees and got my first ever ride in a Hi-Ranger (a big one) Now I'm not afraid of heights (former caver) and have used a much smaller bucket truck many years ago. (An ex DOT sign maintenance size one with a basket) Had absolutely no problem while we were pollinating the tree, but was not amused when we got done and the driver / power co employee raised it up full height to enjoy the view

Still probably safer than the forklift man cage at my current work but it sure did not seem that way at the time.

William

[Myotismike]

So the first person i asked to install a bat house on there hydro pole said sure, no problem . this maybe easier than i thought and very costly to boot , my average cost per house is $80-$90 is that inline with the rest of u guys? I do use the plastic netting which adds up.So does anyone have a simple way of making the groves into plywood , somthing other than a skill saw,like maybe a different tool . thx all

[William Bagwell]

This thread has several ideas from ganging two blades on a saw to my modified jointer. The former I have used with plywood and the later have not yet tried with plywood. Though it works very well with ordinary boards that are not more than twice the width of the jointer blades.

jig-for-cutting-baffle-saw-kerfs-t443-15.html#p5641

And of course rough sawn lumber works just fine without grooves provided you can find it in thickness you need.

William