Bat House Forum

[valiant]

I am new to this. I built and put my 1st bat house about a month ago. I have been keeping an eye on it for bats but didn't see any untill this monday morn. Monday evening I counted 30 bats leaveing the house. Tuesday, I counted 62!!!!!!!! Thats over double in 1 day!! Didn't get to count Wed. but will today [thurs.] My ? is. I live in middle Ga. What is the most likely kind of bats I have in my house?? Sorry no better details at this time. I haven't got a close up look at one yet.

[lilypaddy]

Hi, I'm very new to this as well. I live in Woodstock, Ga and I received my "Beginning Batbook" today in the mail. That's awesome that you have bats already! Where in Georgia are you located?

[Terry Lobdell]

Wow! That is amazingly fast! It took me a few years to get that many! I sounds like you are in excellent bat habitat!

[cloudman75]

Hello from Lithia Springs, GA probably a hundred miles from you or so. You could have little browns, Freetails,
Evening bats, pipistrelles and others. Maybe big browns, but it is kinda hot for them in your area.
Glad to see you on the forum and another friend to our bats.

Frank

[Joe Spencer]

Although I am not ruling them out, it is unlikely that it would be Big Brown's based on this behavior. One day I had only two big browns then had more than 20 for two days and then they all left never to see them again. Big brown tend to roost in smaller numbers and increase and decrease these numbers gradually. Big brown bats also abandon roosts above 95 degrees f. What color is the bat house and how is it mounted? I would consider one of the others especially the free-tails. We'll look forward to your feed back and if you can kindly attempt to photograph them with a flash just after the sun sets but prior to emergence that would be great. Great news thanks...

[valiant]

I live in Lizella. Just west of Macon. Last nites exit count was 67. tonights was 76. getting more every day. I tried to get pics tonight but they are too far up in the box to get . i'll try to post pics of house. It's made of rough cut 1x10s. approx. 10 x 10 x 24" H. inside of boards are scored 1/8 deep every 1/4 inch top to bottom. Its painted primer gray with a green metal roof. In the side pic you can just see the 3 saw cuts I put on each side for vents. The pic was upright when I uploaded it.Don't know why it flipped.

[cloudman75]

Hello,
I know where Lizella is and I would guess both of you have freetail bats in middle GA. They do not hibernate but move around a lot. I have had them come in here at Lithia Springs west of Atlanta. If you get a look at them on exit they will have narrow wings and fly off fast. The little brown bats will be fatter looking and not take off so fast. If you can get a photo of them right before they exit, I can identify if they are freetails by the way their ears look. I even had some stop by my bat houses this winter. I also had some this spring but they are not here now. As I said they do not hibernate, just move around to where the temperature and insect supply is available. I posted some photos of freetails this winter here.
I don't see how your bats can stand the hot temperatures in your dark colored bat house in middle Ga. I can almost be assured that they are not big browns. It has been in the mid 90s here recently.

Frank

[valiant]

Exit count 82 tonight!!! Still going up!!

[Terry Lobdell]

Wow! That is amazing............I hope you keep putting up more bat houses..............there's no telling how many you may get!