Bat House Forum

by **KC5TPA** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:43 pm

I was wondering if anyone would like to elaborate on any activity going on at their respective locations...

by **KC5TPA** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:45 pm

I'll start.

Activity: None

Tenants: None

by **LarryH** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:52 pm

I have two houses that have been up for a couple years, and they have been active since mid-March. The two houses currently have over 100 bats, mostly Big Browns. I enjoy watching them emerge at night.

I put up a new smaller house this year to use as a nursery colony, which is getting minimal activity -- some days it has 2 or 3 bats in it, and other days there are none.

On the property adjoining ours, there is an old barn that has not been used for over 20 years, and it has a large conoly of bats in it. The barn is no longer safe to go up into the hay loft to see how many bats are up there, but when they emerge there is a very large group of them.

All of the bats, when they first emerge, head towards the creek that runs through the corner of our property. I have gone down to the creek to see if I can watch them going for a drink, but I have not been able to observe that.

by **Terry Lobdell** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:34 pm

As of right now, I have between 50 & 60 bats total in the houses mounted on and around my home. Close to 40 little browns and maybe 15 - 20 big browns.

They are starting to roost in different houses now whereas in April they were sticking to just a couple houses.

The past couple years I have noticed that the big brown mothers roost mostly in houses mounted on my home and the little brown mothers roost entirely on pole mounted houses. The bachelors of both species seem to be spread out all over.

by **KC5TPA** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:56 pm

I have two houses (2X150) up that you can see in my videos on youtube, for those of you that haven't seen them. http://www.youtube.com/kc5tpa

The entire month of April I had an ever increasing number, but since the end of last month I have not had any.

I am working on two more houses (2X500) that I plan on mounting to a 4X4X16 back to back, which I will bolt onto my fence instead of cementing in the ground so they will be approx 17' in the air. I have two 2X6 runners on my fence mounted to 3" galvanized post, so I think this will be enough to hold the houses up.

I hope to have this project done by the weekend.

I don't mean to keep sounding so pessimistic, but maybe this isn't my year...

by **Terry Lobdell** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:38 am

KC, I have too have had my ups and downs attracting bats...........but because you have had success it's just a matter of time before they will be back. You might try e-mailing someone at BCI. They may have an idea of where your bats have gone

by **KC5TPA** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:55 pm

I HAVE BATS, not many but I have some. Took a little video will post on youtube soon. They didn't emerge, too cold I suspect, I am pretty sure they are on their way back and will be leaving soon because of temperatures. First time they have been back since the end of April. I noticed the 'evidence' underneath today.

Website · by **IowaNate** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:25 am

Still 8 big brown bats in one house and one big brown in another mounted on my house in Iowa. It's mid November and they should be seeking hibernation spots by now. Perhaps they will hibernate in my bat houses since they hibernate in my neighbor's attic. I am anxiously waiting to see if they stay since daytime temperatures have been in the mid 50's and nighttime temps in the low 30's. My neighbor's house has been renovated and remodeled this past summer, so I wonder if it is not as suitable as it once was for hibernation & they are seeking out new places to roost over the winter.

I will keep you all posted!

by **Terry Lobdell** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:35 am

I had 2 big browns roosting in one of my bat houses Nov. 13th. Last year Nov. 28th was the latest I had a big brown roosting.

by **KC5TPA** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:37 am

Video uploaded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A6n2LNuZYs

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=kc5tpa

by **KC5TPA** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:32 pm

I still have bats, I thought they might be stopping over but it has turned cold and they are still here. I guess they are going to hibernate (torpor) here for the winter. This is great, but I was going to take the house down this winter and seal it up again. I was waiting until it turned cold so I would know that I would not have any tenants but as it turns out it was the cold that has brought them to me again. What do I do? I can tell the caulking I used is starting to come loose and they could really use a good sanding and another coat applied.

I'm in a catch 22....

Website · by **IowaNate** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:43 pm

KC5TPA, I would definately wait on the needed repairs if there are bats in the houses. Do regular checks to see if the bats are still present, but be very quiet and try to disturb them as little as possible. I'd do the checks in the morning, and if the bats have left, do the needed repairs and try to get the houses back up the same day before nightfall just in case they come back. I am in a similar situation with a house in bad disrepair, but still occupied by 9 big browns. The snow has fallen here, and the daytime temperature is in the mid 30's.

by **KC5TPA** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:58 pm

I wish I could do the 'day' repair but the things I want and need to do won't afford enough time to do during the day. (Drying time and such)

It must be ok if they are sticking it out.

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