Bat House Forum

[cloudman75]

Has anyone had a maternity colony in a rocket box? I have seen little discussion on the forum about success with rocket boxes and maternity colonies. I am considering building one as my winter project, but don't want to waste my time and money on a box that would not be used by maternity colonies.
Thanks for any info.


Frank

[garverm]

Everything that I have read about or seen indicates 2 points about rocket boxes. First, they are often populated by bats at a higher success rate than maternity boxes. Second, they don't even come close to having the same success rate as maternity boxes for attracting maternity colonies. I have been in contact with the DNR, who helped pioneer the rocket boxes.

[cloudman75]

Thanks for reply. My opinion of a rocket bax is that it is a compromise to satisfy people who are concerned with the appearance of a normal
design multichamber bat box. One could not hope for better success than that I have had using the standard design with baffles and muliple chambers. I had thought I might build my son one who would like a bat box to please people in the neighborhood. Anyway I have decided against building one. I personally am of the opinion that bats piled on top of one another getting urine and guano from those above in a narrow chamber is not the most effective quarters for a nursery colony. I have found little to make me re-think that belief. I realize that there are those with HOAs and upscale neighborhoods which must errect something acceptable to meet their requirements. I am fortunate to have 6.5 acres and no HOA plus relatives for neighbors who tolerate me. Thanks again for your info.

Frank

[garverm]

I also am fortunate to have several acres in the country. However, the "aesthetics" is a great concern among many. For some reason, many in a neighborhood would cheer something that looked like an upscale birdhouse, but be disgusted to learn it was a bat house. The three good features of a rocket box are: 1. It looks more tree-like for tree dwelling bats; 2. The inner post is said to be a good heat storage or thermal mass idea; and 3. The range of temperatures from top to bottom with the ability for bats to shift around the inner post makes it easy for bats to find the ideal temperature when sunshine and shade make hot and warm zones. I too have been looking for something more eye-pleasing for a bat house, which could be mounted closer to our home. If I can find a design idea that I like, this forum would be a great place to share that idea.

[Terry Lobdell]

Frank, here is a link to pictures in a post I made earlier this summer of a double crevice rocket box I have. I counted 66 little brown bat mothers exit it this summer. This was the primary box used by my little brown bat maternity colony here at home this summer. I have had my big brown bat maternity colony use a smaller typical single crevice rocket box a few years ago.

On larger rocket boxes, I feel each side should be divided at the corners. Only on smaller single crevice rocket boxes do I leave the crevices with open access all the way around.

rocket-box-with-partitioned-crevices-t861.html

[cloudman75]

Terry I sent you a regular email about a week ago telling you that I thought this house you just mentioned had great potential for bats and people to accept with a few changes in appearance. I really liked the looks of this one but I did not consider it a normal rocket box. I have one in the basement about half completed from recycled wood based on this box. It will be a baffled rocket box but not the normal design.
I plan to pick up some more cedar boards next week and build one more plain bat box with baffles to go on the hollow pole. That will make a total of three on it. This one will be tight,normal ventilation, calked everywhere and painted a darker color than any I have. I think it will be used in late March and until it gets too hot the last of June. I plan to have 5 total houses in place by spring. The bats can move to find what they like for temperature is my thinking.


Frank