Bat House Forum

[IowaNate]

  I have had two bat houses hung at my parents home and both were occupied by two single big brown bats for several years. The nearest water source is a creek (20 feet wide) just over 1/2 mile away.

  If all other criteria for successful bat houses are met, but water is farther than 1/4 mile away...don't be shy about putting up a bat house or two. You probably won't attract a nursery colony, but if a few bachelor bats reside in the houses just for a few weeks a year, then I consider that a successful bat house.

  Knowing that I provide safe shelter for a bat passing by, or a bachelor that uses the house for two months is just as satisfying as having a full nursery house. Without bachelor bats, we wouldn't have nursery colonies!

 The occupied houses at this site were a single chamber house (12" wide and 18" tall) mounted 11 feet up on a garage facing South. And a two chamber house (12" wide and 21" tall) facing North on a utility pole.

                      Happy bat housing!!!

[Terry Lobdell]

Nate, that is correct because bats forage a wide area when they feed so it's nice to have a variety of  locations for them to rest during the night. Multiple roosts also provide a safe haven from predators.

I have around 100 bats (both little & big brown) that roost in bat houses around my residence. The nearest small stream is 1/3 of a mile. The nearest good sized stream is one mile.

I am fairly certain given my distance from fresh water that I've maxed out in the number of bats I can attract here.

My maternity colony of big browns has stayed at 15-16 mothers the last 3 years.

My little browns possibly appear to be increasing by maybe 5 per year, but this past summer many left in July after a prolonged dry period.

The small stream 1/3 mile away during dry periods is not large enough for them to dip down and drink.

In talking to people who have large bat colonies in barns and attics I have noticed a correlation of proximity close to streams of high water quality such as good sized trout streams.

[IowaNate]

 I agree with nursery colonies favoring bat houses within 1/4 mile of water. I am still wondering why I only have 9 bachelor big browns in my three houses when there is a stream just 1/4 mile away (Mcloud Run..Iowa's only urban trout stream). The stream is 15 to 25 feet wide nearest to the bat houses. The DNR (Department of Natural Rescources)has done done so much in terms of stocking trout and creating better habitat for the trout...but I am considering a petition to introduce a small bat house project along the creek. It's a wooded area with a biking/jogging trail next to it. I need some advice on how to approach the DNR for putting up bat houses. I also have two 10+ acre lakes fed from the Cedar river within one mile of my home.

[Terry Lobdell]

I would think they would be enthusiastic about it..........the similar dept. here in Pa is all for me putting up bat houses on 2 state parks. I even help them with some summer bat counts.

Have you e-mailed them about mounting some bat houses?

I am hoping to network more possibly with high schools or local colleges where students are in need of projects as I have a lot of ideas, much free material but limited time to carry out projects myself.

On the subject of your big browns, I have a similar situation with some bat houses mounted at an outdoor learning center in excellent habitat about 100 yards from a large stream. I've had houses mounted there for 4 years with usage by only one or two little brown bachelors. My lack of success is very frustrating because this location is used by many elementary teachers and students during the school year.......a great educational opportunity!

I've come to the conclusion that the maternity colonies are roosting in attics at the edge of town maybe 1/2 mile downstream and have no reason to leave their roosts. They probably have enough room, are familiar and comfortable with their area and my bat houses just don't compare to their attics with many cubic feet of space.  

[IowaNate]

 Terry, I just sent an email to the Iowa DNR last night. I requested to put up six bat houses at both the trout stream and 10 acre lake within a mile of my home. Hopefully they will accept my offer and let me put up a few houses in these prime habitat areas.

 

[Dave Miller]

I am fairly certain given my distance from fresh water that I've maxed out in the number of bats I can attract here.

Have you ever longed for a pond/water feature in your yard?  Maybe now is the time...?? 

Bats will use any body of water that is bathtub size or larger.

That is what I did, though I don't think it has really attracted many bats (though we did not put it in just for bats).  But perhaps in the name of science...??  Those pre-formed ponds are easy and not super expensive.  If you decide to do this, let me know and I will advise you on biofiltering so you don't just have an algae farm.

 

[Terry Lobdell]

Dave, yes I've thought about it.........it probably would help.........Are you able to watch bats drink from your pond often? Could you post some pics of it? Thanks for the advice........I'll definitely keep you in mind if I build one!

[IowaNate]

 Interesting note on bats using smaller artificial water sources. I have seen many bats in the past drinking from swimming pools that were at least 12 feet in diameter. Granted there is a trout stream just 1/4 mile from my house, but three houses down from where I live there is an in-ground swimming pool that is about ten feet wide and 20 feet long. So perhaps a few bats are using the pool if it has a low chlorine level that is safe and or tasty enough for bats to drink from.

  I know there are documented cases of Southwestern bats using stock tanks for cattle when there is no other water source, and I am sure most of these are much less than 12 feet in diameter. I do believe that smaller water sources perhaps the size of a bathtub could be utilized by bats as long as they have an unobstructed approach to the water (short grass, no big rocks, or plants). The bats that I have observed drinking from a body of water usually dip down to the water's surface for 2 to 3 feet before flying upwards, so an unobstructed approach and takeoff would seem crucial for bats using a smaller water source for drinking.

[Dave Miller]

Dave, yes I've thought about it.........it probably would help.........Are you able to watch bats drink from your pond often? Could you post some pics of it? Thanks for the advice........I'll definitely keep you in mind if I build one!

Here are some old, old pictures of my bat house & pond.

http://bat-house.freeservers.com/mybathouse/index.html

As IowatNate mentioned, you need to keep the "flight access" clear around the pond (I let the grass/weeds get away from me in these pictures).

I have not actually observed bats using the pond, but I haven't sat out there watching for them either.

You should read this if putting in a pond/tank for bats:

http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=115&articleID=1466

As IowaNate mentioned, bats absolutely do use swimming pools.  Apparently they are able to tolerate some amount of chlorine (but I don't know how much).   I wonder what the long-term effects of drinking pool water might be...??

Here is an experience I had with a bat at a pool: http://www.batnic.org/forum/forum3/230.html

[IowaNate]

 Excellent link to the water requirements of bats Dave! Most of my info was from other articals and personal observations, but that link put it all together. I wonder how many studies there have been done on the dynamics of how bats actually find new water sources. Is there a different echo from water that the bats hear and can tell that it is not solid ground?

  In terms of what the artical said about the width of the water source (generally no less than 2.5 feet) I have a small waterway that is created by the storm sewer culvert's runoff just 100 yards from my house, and this small "stream" flows into the much larger trout stream 1/4 mile away. It generally has about 4 to 6 inches of water depth and is about 2 feet wide throughout most of the year. It is by no means a major water source, but I wonder if I should really start thinking about putting up much larger nursery style houses in my yard.