Bat House Forum

[stevekon]

Hi Everyone,

Nice to know that there is an internet forum for absolutely everything you might consider doing in your yard where novices can connect with experts.

Anyways - My dad took my boys for the weekend and built 2 2 chamber bat houses with them. The interior of the houses are smooth (Just solid hardwood) and I noticed that most here pictured have ridges in them. Question is - will a smooth board prevent bats from using them?

Second Question - I was going to mount them on a pole in the yard as high up as I can (12 Feet+) based on what material I find in my garage and shed. Can I mount both houses back to back on the same pole? The pole will be inbetween 2 trees that are about 50 feet apart and the boxes will be facing East/West.

Another thing i'm curious about - anyone have a good link or resource that highlights the benifits of bats & bat houses on your property?

Tips appreciated!

Thank you for your time!!

[Terry Lobdell]

Welcome! To answer your first question, a wood surface that is planed smooth probably should be more rough.......I have had much success with rough sawn wood surfaces..........since your two boxes are already built, what you could do is stick a wire brush up inside to roughen the surface a bit........this should help......

Yes, you can mount the boxes back to back........what is even better is if there is access between the two.......the bats will go back and forth seeking their desired temperature.........

To answer your last question, Bat Conservation International may be your best bet.......