Bat House Forum

[saxontaylor]

Greetings all....I have one (yes one! I counted.) bat roosting in a vent louver on our garage. We want to put up a bat house to attract more; would some of you be so kind to look at these two photos & tell me if the UPPER gable location is viable? It gets about 6 hours of morning sun. We are in Charlotte NC where Summer temps are usually in the 90s.

The one bat is in the louvered vent shown on the lower gable. I'd put a bat house there but: A) need to keep the vent open & B) we don't want guano landing on our driveway/patio area.

Thank you!

[Dave Miller]

It looks to me like there is not quite enough space below the upper gable for bats to get airborne without hitting the roof. Although if you designed a house that fit tightly into the gable you might be OK.

Do you have a chimney?

Or perhaps you could design a "guano catcher" for a vent house (see info about vent houses: http://www.batguys.com/resources/suburb ... house.html). Bat guano is a highly prized fertilizer.

[cloudman75]

Hello in Charlotte my birthplace. I moved at an early age to Pittsboro up near Raleigh. I am familiar with your climate and the sun you mentioned should be adequate for the bats there in Charlotte. I am in metro Atlanta ,Ga. area now.
I had a similar situation as you several years ago with 17 bats in my carport louver and guano dropping down on the car bumpers. My take on your situation is as follows:
The second gable is just too low for the bats , especially pups to gain air speed to fly by vertical drop. Some really good flyer adults might be able to manuver to a bat house there, but it would certainly be difficult. Dave also noted his concern over the height. Also the guano would not do your roof any good.
You could mount a bat house beside the louver now, then cover the louver with plastic one evening after your bat has made it's' exit. Then this winter after the bat has left for hibernation, mount it on a pole in the yard if possible not too far from the existing location.
That's what I did and after several years and moves I now have the same house about 40 ft away in my back yard. Once they use the house it does not seem to matter if you relocate it a short distance, at least that has been my experience. I would say to install a three chamber bat house so you may attract a nursery colony and increase the number each year.

Frank

[saxontaylor]

Exactly what I needed to know! And thanks for the link to the plans for the urban houses, that looks perfect.

Interesting critters aren't they?

[cloudman75]

They are very interesting to me. Good luck and keep us posted on how it works out. Photos are much appreciated by many.

Frank