Bat House Forum

[cloudman75]

I have been out of town a few days so I went out before dusk and took some photos of my bat house tennants. I saw two big browns, some freetails and Little Brown bats. I am extremely happy to see the freetails are still here as they deserted me most of the spring and summer. The bats are using three different bat houses. Most are in an old house with ragged screening and absolutely no ventilation other than the entrance. Two of my new cedar houses are being used as well as my old OBC three chamber.Anyone else still have bats now?

Frank

[flyin-lowe]

I didn't have any bats in my bat house but as of last week I was still seeing bats in my yard. My father still had one in his garage as of last weekend. It really turned a lot colder and really wet here in Indiana this week. I don't know a lot about bats yet but I don't plan on seeing any more. It has been in the low 40's at night.

[marius]

Two nights ago we had about 50 big browns and this evening maybe about 25-30 and they were packed pretty tight together. Not sure why they are still here because it's supposed to get down to 32 degrees tonight, our first freeze of the fall, Kansas City, MO area. Hope they can stay warm. Spouse says maybe they'll leave tonight but will they fly when it's so cold? Have read that big browns don't mind the cold so much but don't really know what that means.

[cloudman75]

Hi Marius. We are getting down in the high 30s tonight. My bats don't usually leave until first frost. It appears that some have left as I only counted about 25 tonight. Metro Atlanta GA area.

Frank

[marius]

Hi Frank,

Do you ever have bats stay all winter? I have the idea that it stays somewhat warm where you live - hey, it's south of here so must be warm there!

We still have bats, 20-30 big browns. Never realised there's still food to catch when it's this cold (froze last night) but guess the bats know what they are doing.

marius

[cloudman75]

Marius,
It gets cold here also, but we also have warm spells. The Little Browns do not stay all winter but usually go into hibernation after the first frost. That time is usually early NOV. Then they come out and return about the middle or last of March depending on conditions at that time.The freetail bats here usually move to a warmer area and sometimes come back during warm spells in winter. As soon as we get a freeze, they leave again. I have a few very small unknown species bats that stay the winter with me. When it gets in the mid or low 20s, one or two will move to my attic louver on the west side of my house where I have a fairly large heat loss from the heated room below. When it warms they move back to the bat house. I have seen it so cold they left for I don't know where. Then they will return when it gets warmer. I have seen these bats feeding on warm winter days as they do not hibernate.
We have a few insects that come out even in winter on warm days. During cold spells these little bats go into topor. I can view them by going into the attic and get within a few inches of them behind the louver screen. I can't get a good photo because the screen is dirty and maybe rusty. I have posted some winter photos on the forum of my bats. The thing about our cold weather is that it has a short duration normally. Then we get a few warm days before more cold. Last winter was tough with day after day just below freezing, but not record low temps. I watch the bat houses during winter and keep a close watch on the skies. If I have any bats, I will take a photo and post. I don't have Big Browns as a general rule, but spot one or two as overnight guests in with the little browns. There is quite a difference in size. I checked on some old posts and found that on Jan 20, 2010 I posted a photo of about a dozen freetail bats here.

Frank

[marius]

Wow, Frank. Sounds like you have great bat activity all year long. Am curious about the little unknown species of bat. Do you have any guesses about what they might be?

Our big browns are still around. Last night I sat out with new bat detector (thanks to Kent) and had a great time. The bats kept swooping just a few feet in front of me and over my head. It's unusally warm right now but the cold is on its way.

Thanks for sharing about weather in your area. Wish our winters were that mild. Sigh!

Marius

[cloudman75]

Marius,
I see you bought Kent's detector, have fun. I feel almost certain that the tiny bats I have each year are Eastern Small Footed Myotis. I have three and they seem to fit that species. The main reason I think that's what they are is because they are smaller than a Little Brown, like to roost alone, and can take weather below freezing and even when they hibernate they prefer cold caves. They also fit the color for that bat species. At present I have seen three recently. I have two that roost together and one that prefers to stay alone in a breezy large bat house. I suspect that there are two females and one male,
but that is just a guess. I took photos last night since the weather has warmed and still have about 50 bats. They don't stay gone long and are conserving energy it seems to me. I only go through a couple of months here with no bat activity to speak of in a normal year. I am fortunate that their hibernation caves may be about an hour away as the bat flies. I think that they awake in winter on warm days at times and fly back to the bat house for a few days and feed and drink. Just my guess timation, not fact for sure. The freetails are still here as well as Little Browns. Have not seen any big browns lately.

Regards,

Frank

[Emersombiguns]

You will find that watching them come out while listening to them echo locate is half the fun. Also, I can hear mine up in house give a click or two when I think most have left. Then sure enough one or two will come out. When you don't have any more clicks then you can be assured don't have any left up in house. It also helps you count them...I can turn mine on and go out the back door and point at the house way in the back yard and hear some flying around...My unit is a kit made my Messina in Las Vegas..What is the other one Kent has? Have fun as I still have over 400 in my houses...Randy

[Terry Lobdell]

Randy, that is great news about your bats!

Marius, I have had big browns roosting in my bat boxes as late as Nov. 28th and as early as March 6th up here in NWPA. In Missouri maybe you will have them all winter long in your bat houses? It will be interesting to observe their roosting patterns......

We definitely have more little browns up here than big browns. The largest big brown maternity colony I have seen up here has about 50 mothers. You are definitely lucky to have such a large colony so soon!

[marius]

Frank, thanks for telling about your Eastern Small Footed Myotis. Looked them up on the internet and they are cute.

Randy, wow … 400 bats! That’s something I’d like to see. Since I got the bat detector, mostly I’m listening before the bats leave for the night. (Wondering why I’m doing this … probably because it’s getting colder and I don’t like cold.) Anyway, there is often a lot of commotion and chatter, which I can hear without the bat detector. It reminds me of people getting ready to go somewhere. From all the noise and ‘talk’ going on inside the bat house, it is hard to not imagine them saying things like, “Move over, I want to get out first.” or “Get your wing out of my eye and for heaven’s sake, calm down. It’s going to be dark soon enough.” : )
As for the other bat detector Kent has, I’ve no idea. Am enjoying the one he sold me – it’s an early Christmas present, and a very nice one too!

Terry, that is astounding you have bats so late in the year in NWPA. I don’t know what temperatures bats can tolerate, but we usually have two to three weeks with temps in the single digits. Sounds too cold for bats but I don’t know what is too cold. Do any of you?

I’m just happy to say we still have bats … about 30 big browns …on Halloween Night!

[Terry Lobdell]

Marius, I agree with your description of bat chatter........I don't have a detector but I've always noticed from listening to them in late afternoon, the sounds they make sound like conversation. Some of the chirps sound like arguing or even small talk! You can kind of hear their mood by the tone of their chirps!

[marius]

Hi Terry ... guess it is "November" Bats now. : )

I never thought of bat chatter indicating a "mood" but agree with you! There are some nights they seem to be happy and quiet, and other times where they almost seem to squabble.

We still have about 20 big browns. Not sure how they keep warm as it's been below freezing two times. Guess it helps to wear a fur coat!

We had a friend stop by for something yesterday and since she's heard about the bats all summer, she HAD to have a look at them. She was thrilled. It's funny how happy people get about our bats.

Marius

[Terry Lobdell]

Marius,
Yes, people's attitudes about bats really change when they get to see them close up........I always describe bats as being more like cats and dogs by the way they groom themselves, yawn and stretch their wings......

[Emersombiguns]

I find the detector a must for counting. Tonight they were still coming out and I could barely make them out even though a full moon was out. I counted 372 and said enough. Yes, I hear mine anytime I am in the back yard within 20' of the houses's. I found a dead one yesterday and got a picture of it. It looks like a big brown, has a good 2" tail like rat on it. I will upload it, as soon as neighbor sends pix. My digital camera broke and I need to get a good "up into the house" shot before they come out.
Yes, mine seem to make lots of chatter before coming out. The neat thing about the detector is you can hear them up in the house, and it lets me know I have more up in there and about to come out...I also need to show you all the pile of guanno and dead grass area underneath...You can really smell the nitrogen when out there counting. Mine are starting later at night. 5:50 pm tonight, and take a good 15+ min to come out...Randy