Colony Lodge 4 Chamber
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Ask BCM a Question-
I’ve got bats in my storm shutters. And I don’t want them in my storm shutters. :-) So I need some help on what to use to house them. And how to encourage them to move.
To discourage bats behind the shutters, open the shutters/prop them out away from the building. Bats are there because of the crevices, if you make the crevices too big, they will abandon them. I recommend waiting until August so the young can fly, and also propping them open after sunset so that your bats don’t have to fly around in the daytime and be picked off by hawks, etc. The only way to keep bats from entering the shutters is to seal them. This might involve placing window screen behind the louvers, and caulking them to the building. If they are decorative anyway, this should be relatively easy. Placing any of our bat houses near the shutters will have bats move in almost immediately; for best results place it on the building itself. Please see https://batmanagement.com/pages/lc-bh-overview Some models I suggest would be the single chamber DayRoost (essentially mimics the shutters you have), 3 Chamber DayLodge, and the ColonyLodge.
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Can you recommend a woodpecker proof bat box?
We have not heard of a woodpecker harassing a ColonyLodge as of yet, perhaps its too slippery for the bird to want to cling to! If it starts drilling to a post, cover the area with metal flashing found in the roofing section of Lowes/Home Depot, etc. Please see our manual All About Bat Houses and the specific manual for the ColonyLodge here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals
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Do bat spray attractants really work?
Design, construction, and placement of the bat house will ultimately decide if you get bats. There were controlled experiments to test bat preferences (choice of substrate, orientation, landing pads, etc.). In these tests there was no statistical difference in their choice of guano treated vs untreated. While a specific “spray” was not tested, there also does not seem to be -any- research actually backing up manufacturers claims. We always tell folks not to waste their money. If you have a well-designed bat house installed in a good location, bats will use it, when they need it. Patience is important.
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If I place a bat box in my back yard, approximately 300’ from the house and attract bats, when the bat house is full will they then try to enter our house? Not sure if I really want a ton of bats with no where to live.
If your house is accessible to bats, chances are that you already have had bats check it out for suitability, so if you have not noticed them, you probably don’t have them. Bats do not chew their way into things, but really only employ existing crevices. So, if you have relatively new construction, etc., you have little to worry about.
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Do you have advice about needing a pup catcher to go under the box? I have a climbing passion flower so a fall would be cushioned but would a pup get back in the box from a 3ft drop onto the shrub?
We do not recommend pup catchers unless there is a demonstrated need for one (usually bats drop out because of overcrowding/overheating), and you are unable to install a second bat house nearby. An unnecessary pup catcher just creates a possible perch for predators which will cause bats to abandon the bat house. The bottom of the bat house does need to be kept clear of encroaching vegetation; bats need a “swoop zone” under the bat house to enter.
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I have a west facing garden to the rear of the house. I see bats flying around at night but worry that one day, someone will cut the trees they roost in and they\'ll be displaced. So I have a bat box but will a west facing wall be too hot or sunny for too long in the day?(at peak of summer it\'s sunny until approx 9-10pm, but, this is UK so that\'s just for a few weeks) The sun comes around the corner from about 11am.
For best results try two bat houses, one in full sun and one that is in shade in the afternoon. The bottom of the bat house does need to be kept clear of encroaching vegetation; bats need a “swoop zone” under the bat house to enter. There are many groups that may be able to help you more locally; one is Backyard Bat Biologists group on Facebook and there are a number of others specifically in the UK.
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I recently discovered a large wasp infestation in my bat house. I sprayed the house to get rid of the wasps. Can you please advise me what if anything I should do to assure that the house is once again suitable for bats?
If those were yellowjackets then yes they needed to be sprayed. You may want to try to rinse the insecticide out with a garden hose? Wear goggles as this is probably going to be hard not to be messy. If those were paper wasps or mud dauber wasps, those co-exist with bats and not need to deal with them in the summer. In winter or when you are -sure- bats are not present, you can scrape out the nests with a long, thin stick/pole. Bats can look like a nest from a distance, so be careful! - JC
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Won’t sun make plastic off-gas? Won’t it get too hot in direct sun???????
Thanks for your interest and concern. The concept of a bat house is to build and place it in such a way that will get 100-120° inside to attract the first few bats to raise young. After some time, the many bats will contribute body heat and then heating becomes a concern during the hottest months. So, bat houses have vents 1/3rd up from the bottom, and overall should be tall to facilitate a temperature gradient. So, narrow bat houses generally don’t get hot enough because of lack of surface area, and short bat houses have no good temperature gradient, and so bats rarely use these smaller bat houses for a significant length of time. All BCM bat houses feature not only front vents but also rear vents. When mounted per my suggestions, bats can exit out the back of the bat house rear vent and roost on a “Perch Panel” that is incorporated into the mounts. This is open on both sides and allows maximum ventilation while still being protected from predators. If you are in the Gulf Coast states, AZ, NM, or SoCA, you might also consider adding a “shade roof” over the bat house, or installing multiple bat houses with various degrees of solar exposure, including full shade. The plastic shells are inert, UV stabilized, don’t give off a measurable smell, and are estimated to have a lifespan of at the very least 20 years, though this is definitely a low-end estimate.
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Would there be a way to attach a bat house to a 2 1/2 inch diameter pole that held a heritage farm purple Martin house? (Winch system) We’ve given up on the bird house as we couldn’t keep the starlings away.
First consider the bottom of any bat house should be 10’ above ground. Second, if the pole was placed with cement, it will probably hold the weight of our bat houses. If the pole meets this, then you would want to make wooden brackets to attach to the pole. Take 2x4 material ~16'’ wide to use as 2 brackets. Then at a hardware store, locate 2 “U bolts” that are wide enough to go around your pole, and long enough to go thru the 2x4 brackets. The ends of the U-bolts will stick into the bat house, so add another 1x or 2x board over the bracket with screws, with holes drilled to accommodate the bolts. You should now have a flat bracket surface to mount a bat house on. Our bat houses can come with a choice of mounting kits. The best kit for your situation would be the "Siding Mount Kit”. This would allow you to mount directly onto your bracket with the U-bolts. You just need to lay our mounting bracket over -your- mounting bracket and mark where the U-Bolts are touching, then drill that area out from behind our Siding Mount and you would be done.
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With the mount kit, I received 2 Perch Panels. How do these attach?
ColonyLodge comes with 2 Perch Panels. Place both panels on the post, one flush with the bottom of the upper mount. This leaves a gap at the top of the lower mount for guano to spill out. The ColonyLodge should be placed on ther upper mount flush with the top of the post. The lower mount can be flush with the bottom, but I recess it a bit to hide any small misalignment. Note that the rear of the bat house should be scored with a utility knife to take the most advantage of the rear Perch Panel. Hit the edges of exposed wood and mounts if desired with black spray paint so they don’t stand out so much, if desired.
Be sure you have the latest manuals here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals -
I\'m in Cape Cod MA and I am interested in attracting Big Brown Bats. Should I choose the 0.75\" or 1.50\'\' chamber size for the ColonyLodge - Universal 4 Chamber Bat House?
The ColonyLodge actually has both size crevices in it, so it is good for bats all across the county. For big brown bats in your area, any color except tan is good. If mounting to a building, use spacers so that the rear vent is accessible. If mounting on a wood post, use the post mount kit or make your own but be sure to incorporate the “perch panel” that turns the back of the bat house into an extra chamber for cooling off, which big browns will appreciate. Please see “All About Bat Houses” and the Mount Kit manuals here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals There are additional resources under the “Learning Center” tab.
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I\'m a bit confused about the screws. I have 1 set of 4 long + 4 short coated exterior screws with washers
These are intended to attach the ColonyLodge to a mount. The 4 long ones go into the top lip. I usually pilot drill halfway into the bat house. The 4 short ones go into the landing area and into the lower mount bracket.
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Is it safe to be sheltering bats, especially in proximity to one’s home / living area?
The short answer is yes it is safe. I wouldn’t move it for a few seasons; attaching to buildings often is very successful. If you get a bunch of bats, they will splatter dropping on the siding around the house. On occasion a young one won’t survive and you’ll find it on the ground below the bat house. As long as everyone in the house knows not to play with wild animals/downed bats, you won’t have a problem. The guano is possibly hazardous if it is in large quantities and disturbed after many years; you will never have this scenario with a backyard bat house. A quick video I helped create with Merlin Tuttle recently is right along your lines here: https://youtu.be/b7HUsWkefmo Please see my general bat house manual All About Bat Houses here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals A few articles on COVID and a few older heath articles are here: https://batmanagement.com/blogs/human-and-bat-health
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Your website reads that your bat houses are 3/4 and 1.5” chambers but there is not an option for chamber size in the purchase tab. A lot of my reading says 1.5” chambers are more habitable for wasps. Is there an option for no 1.5 chamber in your bat house?
We have one 1.5’’ crevice in one of our bat houses, the 4 chamber ColonyLodge, and there are probably 1.5’’ spaces somewhere in a Super Rocket Roost. This is intentional to provide a wide range of crevices for the widest range of bat species looking for a variety of crevice widths. Some biologists recently have suggested 1.5’’ is attractive for wasps. This may be true, but it is certainly not something that makes or breaks a design, and may be more or less of an issue depending on you local area. First off, bats easily co-exist with wasps and possibly provide some degree of natural predator deterrent. While the paper wasp nests start taking up space over time, bats will certainly not abandon the bat house over them, and the nest only occupies a few inches of space. If desired, they can be scraped out with a long, thin stick once every few years, when bats are not present. Now yellowjackets are very aggressive and bats will not use a bat house where they have taken up residence. The crevice size is moot for these insects… they don’t care. I have seen them in a bat house that only had 3/4’’ wide crevices and the nest was not even visible without a spotlight. These suggestions and more can be found in our newly refreshed general manual All About Bat Houses available here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals We will be re-investigating moving the ColonyLodge to 7/8’’ crevices however that may introduce other production issues. At the moment I am not convinced the potential benefit is quite there yet, as wasps are just not really a significant issue. I suggest the DayLodge https://batmanagement.com/products/daylodge if you want to stick with under 1’’ wide crevices; you can get 2 of these for about the same cost as one ColonyLodge and the multiple bat houses may be better for attracting a colony to a new area. The plastic roof of the DayLodge and mounting method really makes this a very solid, long lasting option.
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Hi John! I had a question about bat house placement, namely, how high is too high? We have a tall, straight Douglas fir with no lower branches and a good SW aspect that might be a good spot for our bat house. However, the best location on the trunk is pretty high - about 40 feet up. We can get it up there, but I wanted to check and see if there was an upper ceiling for recommended mounting locations. I know you don\'t recommend trees for mounting bat boxes, but we\'re working with the resources we have. We have a small property, a short house, and a lot of trees. So, we\'re making the best of it.
There is no upper limit, bats will roost in trees hundreds of feet off the ground. Just the higher you go the harder it is to see if there is activity and do any repairs , etc. unless you have ability to service something that high.
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I live in Odessa, FL on a lake. We have a fully forested yard so the only place a bat house would have the proper spacing from trees for an open area is at the lake shore or over the lake. My question is will bats move into a bat house placed over water?
You can certainly put it over water, just the post may rot out a lot faster. Any grounded bats would have no chance, so it's not the best. I would also try putting the bat house on the tree even if it is shaded somewhat. The dirty secret of FL bats is that there are at least 4 species that will use bat houses, and they may use them different times of the year for different reasons! I have seen fully occupied bat houses in full shade where I thought I'd never think to put up a bat house. So, try it and at some point in the year you may be occupied! On the other hand, many bat roosts are in bridges directly over water. In FL it is best to try locating a bat houses a few different locations and the local bats will tell you what they need.
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We had bats until Spring in Florida, then they suddenly left! Are they overheated? We installed a shade roof but still no bats.
In any bat house you may not have the same bats occupying the same bat house year round. Bats that are overheated will not simply abandon a bat house, but they will be clustered at the bottom and roosting outside the baffles on the landing plate. When a colony suddenly moves, any number of things might have happened: they migrated, food and roost resources opened up elsewhere that are better, a predator took up residence nearby, or there’s a remote possibly they were poisoned. If you have ever noticed a hawk or kestrel coming in at dusk, that could have been a contributing factor. Also look carefully at the boxes for tiny yellow jackets that may have nested far up into the crevices- you will just see a few of them buzzing around that doesn’t look like much and maybe are just mistaken for flies at first? But bats will totally abandon a bat house over yellow jackets (paper wasps and mud daubers co-exist and are not a problem.) Most likely you had Brazilian free tail bats over this winter (did they have a very strong odor when they were emerging?) and come April they congregate to form super colonies like the Gainesville Bat Condos and a number of other very large bat condo-class structures scattered around North Florida. This is where these particular bats choose to raise young, and then they will begin dispersing as soon as the young are able to fly. These bats change roosts to avoid parasites that build up in the roosts. If you had bats in your boxes year-round previously, it may have been Brazillian free tails which are year-round FL residents being replaced by Mexican free tails that migrate, or you get an influx of Southeastern bats or evening bats in the spring/summer that have not shown up this year for various reasons unrelated to the bat houses. Going forward it is hard to apply a “one size fits all” recommendation for FL bats because of the 5 different species possible in bat houses and the year round bat activity; essentially you have to watch what the bats do and let them tell you what they want. I would say based on the use we have of the same model throughout FL, the shade roof is not initially necessary unless you start noticing bats outside the house. I noticed your newer photo has a very large shade roof that might be putting the bat house in the shade most of the day. My inkling would be to remove that for an entire year and note the bat activity. However, I have also seen other bat houses in FL occupied when placed in complete shade in the winter; so the neat thing about Florida is that you can have bats in a bat house anytime with virtually any installation. You could also simply leave it alone until this time next year and see if anything moves in, noting about when they arrive and leave again. If they do not raise young in your boxes, you may start to see activity August and onward as they disperse from summer roosts. t
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Hello, I purchased a three chamber bat house from you years ago and have had a booming bat population through the years. I take down the bat house each winter and perform maintenance on it. Today I noticed it was infested with bat bugs - ugh! I had it in my garage and am not too happy with it, but my question is, how do I treat the bat house to get rid of the bat bugs but do not harm the bats when they return? I do not want to use poisons that could affect the bats when they return this spring.
Turn the bat house upside down and sprinkle diatomaceous earth in all the chambers, taking care it gets to the roof. After a week tap the bat house right-side-up so just a dusting remains inside. The bats will love you for it. Here is a link or simply search for "diatomaceous earth” on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPXGNTO/ref=emc_b_5_t
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I'd like to mount this bat house onto a metal pole, do you have suggestions?
We offer a metal pole mount that will slip over a 2'' square, 14 gauge pole, call 717-242-2228 for availability. We suggest using a 14' or 16' pole. After 3' of the pole is cemented into the ground, the -bottom- of the bat house should be ~10' above the ground or higher. Nothing like this pole is found at lumbar yards, you’ll need to find a local steel supply yard that will be selling steel and aluminum in 20’ lengths, etc. They will cut one for you to probably.
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We\'ve had a couple of cats visit our yard recently. Is there anything we can do to the bat house post to prevent any possible cat attacks?
I wouldn’t worry about cats; unless your mounting location allows cats to be next to the bat house (like near a ledge on a building somehow). If you’re mounting on a post there’s little to worry about. Your cat might find a bat on the ground in the summer, but it’s most likely on the ground for other reasons already, not because of the cat. If you notice this happening a lot you might try adding a Pup Catcher (in the summer months only). https://batmanagement.com/products/bcm-pup-catcher
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I live in Cabot, Arkansas. Would mounting on a pole work? OK to get shade from 1PM (sun rest of time) or do they need more hours of sunlight? Should bat pole have a baffle to protect from snakes/raccoons?
I would go with the green or black 4 Chamber Universal bat house, or possibly the Super Rocket Roost. If you will maintain the wooden bat houses by repainting/resealing every 3-4 years, those are less expensive. I prefer poles because they can be placed somewhere good for bats and people (not on a house where droppings will be on the siding/windows, etc.) The predator guards probably aren’t all that necessary; many other things will be a bigger problem (wood bat house falling apart, woodpeckers drilling holes, etc.) So only worry about that if you happen to notice a problem.
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Can I install these back to back?
Any of our bat houses can be installed back to back, the Pole Mount Kit https://batmanagement.com/products/standard-pole-mount-kit bolts will not conflict when screwed back-to-back. The Rocket Roost of course is a completely different design and isn't something intended to be mounted back-to-back.
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Do back to back houses need to both be at the same height on the post?
No as long as the bottoms are 10’ above ground/shrubs you can put several on a post on either side or even on all 4 sides. You might consider using a 6''x6'' post if you're thinking of mounting more than 4 bat houses on a single post.
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Do bat houses need a predator protection board at the bottom of the house or are all chambers exposed?
Predation in any of our bat houses is so low it is not something we are concerned with. There are probably more problems with yellow jackets and woodpeckers than anything grabbing bats from below. Avoid placing bat houses immediately next to things that could be predator perches. Bats likely will not emerge if a predator such as a ringtail or raccoon is hanging on the bat house, and the crevices are too narrow for anything to really get inside other than very rarely a snake, perhaps, and that is very difficult to protect against. Nature is harsh and bats are subject to predation in natural roosts. The design of the bat house inheriently protects againt the whole colony being wiped out, and all predators can't be completely protected against. If a predator guard is desired, any of those used for posts for bird houses, etc. might be tried.
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I plan on a ColonyLodge and thought I should have a second non-maternity type bat house for a bachelor pad on the back side. Is this a good thing to plan? If so, what do I need to buy for that purpose? There isn\'t much online on this subject except that males quite often do not roost with females & pups.
There is no specific bat house for bachelors and they roost literally anywhere. The purpose of bat houses are primarily for females to raise young. The recommended approach is to install several bat houses in various solar exposures in an area. Direct morning sun is a must-have, and full day sun is also good. Your local bats will select what they need, and they may use all of the bat houses just at different times of the year. If you end up with a bad placement, such as trees shade out a bat house, you might get some bachelors in it, but they probably don’t “need” it. Back-to-back bat houses are generally more successful than a single bat house, probably because that configuration offers some different compartments to split up socially, and different temperatures. Honestly any bat house on the backside of another may be useful; there is no set rules in that area.
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I live right outside of Annapolis. In Arnold, MD, which color would be best.
Hello- Any of the three dark colors will be appropriate- black, dark green, and dark brown. The color at that point is a personal preference. If there is no established colony nearby, you might consider starting with several bat houses in different solar exposures (full sun, and part sun (morning sun and afternoon shade)). The DayRoost and DayLodge are economical bat houses to experiment with.
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Hi - I live in eastern Kansas and I'm certain I've got bats in my neighborhood since I have a small suburban pond less than a quarter-mile away and I see them flying around at night. I've got a west-facing spot I believe would work on my stucco chimney that will get a fair amount of afternoon sun that I believe is far enough away from a large oak tree (~20' away?) and my neighbor's house is about 20' away as well but I could mount it fairly high on the chimney to aid in the obstruction. Do you think this would work? Also, my house/stucco is matte grey color and would ultimately like to color match that to blend in and not anger the HOA, do you think this would work due to the hot afternoon sun? Ultimately what color recommendation would you have due to the intense afternoon sun? Also, for reference, I'm looking at the 4-chamber plastic model. Thanks!
Michael- SE facing is ideal as all bats in the morning will be seeking the bat house spot that warms up the fastest. There is no overheating issue until a bat house becomes overcrowded; at this time you can simply add another bat house nearby. Use our mounting kit as intended and that provides a "cool off" crevice behind the bat house. Mounting on a building is great because the bat house benifits from the heat retained by the large building, so even though you aren't SW, that is mitigated by the building. Try bat houses on both sides of the chimney if possible, consider the smaller DayRoost may fit in your space.
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I am looking into buying some bat houses and was wondering what the best one for many big brown bats would be. Big brown bats are all I see at night. Haven't seen any smaller species around here except pups.
Hello- we have ColonyLodge bat houses loaded with big brown bats: https://batmanagement.com/products/universal-four-chamber-premium-bat-house
To find a location they will use, you might consider several bat houses in some different solar exposures. The less expensive DayLodge is good for this establishment process. https://batmanagement.com/products/daylodge
If you have a building to mount a bat house to, an even less expensive option is the DayRoost; https://batmanagement.com/products/dayroost
Let us know if you have questions! - JC -
Hello, I live in southwest Colorado and would like to purchase a bat house but I'd like it to be dark grey. I would stain it myself but it looks like the material used in your bat house is plastic? Thanks for any information.
Hello- the exterior of the ColonyLodge and Super Rocket Roost is thick plastic (the actual roost area is wood) and may be painted with a paint formulated for plastic.
The DayLodge/DayRoost are wood exterior and can be painted/stained as desired. The roof of these bat houses are black plastic lumber, which could be painted if desired, but is unnecessary everywhere except the Gulf states and some low elevations of AZ/NM/SoCA. - JC -
Can you help me: I need help spotting a location. My thought was here: xxxx, xxxx where I keep it mowed by the pond any thoughts? I am hopefully moving the colony from out of my barn... Also would dark brown be the ideal color for Cincinnati, Oh)?
Hello- the brown is fine, along with green or black too.
For the location, I would go 50' NE towards the tree...bats like some cover when emerging, so the rule is near some trees but not shaded by trees. You might also consder installing on the barn itself, within a few feet of the exit crevice they really like to use, if possible. -JC -
I live in the Piedmont area of South Carolina on a lake (essentially at sea level). What color bat house would work best for my area?
If in full sun, or at least the majority of the early part of the day is in full sun, likely the tan color would work. If trying to establish bats in a new area, we recommend 2 locations: one in full sun, and one that is in afternoon shade. The DayLodge bat houses are an economical choice for starting.
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I have a 20 ft that holds a clothesline from second story deck and a smaller bird house about 6 ft. Could I add a bat house to the pool on the higher end or would it be “too much activity” for the bats to feel safe?
Bats and songbirds don't compete so it is worth a try; le us know if successful!
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Hello! I have the perfect spot to mount a bat house - the side of a barn that gets 7-8 hours of morning sunlight. However, that barn wall also has an opening to the hayloft where a number of pigeons live year-round. Would the pigeon traffic during the day be a problem for bats? There are already a few of them on the property and I want to provide a safe space for them to thrive. The more the merrier! Also, I live in Eastern Ontario, Canada, and we get quite hot and humid summers. Wondering which colour of the ColonyLodge would be best in my climate. Thanks in advance.
Hello- the birs should not bother bats and any color is fine for a bat house in your location, as long as it is a dark shade. Out of the ColonyLodge, only the tan might not be appropriate for your location, however, since you are considering mounting on a building, a dark one and a light one might not be a bad experiment. Because the barn is already radiating heat you might find bats using both colors all season. -JC
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I want to mount this on a pole, so my mounting kit option is set to the Wood Post Mount kit. I'll also probably be picking up a post protector. It is my understanding that the mounting kit does not come with a pole - I'll have to find one of those. Where do you usually buy them? Must they really be 14' high?
Hello Kira thanks for your interest! The bottom of the bat house should be at least 10' above ground. A 16' 4x6 treated post is commonly found at local lumber yards, pole barn builder supply, marina/dock supply. Just not Lowes/Home Depot.
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What bat house do you recommend for someone located in West Michigan?
Thanks for your interest! Any of our bat houses may be successful almost anywhere in North America. If you are just starting out, you might consider several small bat houses (DayLodge or DayRoost) in several locations of different solar exposures (one in full sun, one in full morning sun, then shaded in afternoon). When bats take to one of the bat houses, then you can add more/larger ones as desired. -JC
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I have twenty five acres. A mix of hilltops, forest, wetlands, and meadows. I have a lot of trees thats are alone in a field or 15-20 foot older trees that have years left to stand. How many houses would you recommend. I live in Michigan and we are getting ready to enter big season. I’d like as many bats as possible. I’m interested in the colony lodges and the super rocket bat houses
Hello- The best advice when starting out is try several smaller bat houses in a few locations. These could be the less expensive DayLodge bat houses if you like. If you already have bats nearby, or just want the lower maintainance, the ColonyLodge is the standard. All of our bat houses have rear vents and a little consideration must be made for proper mounting with our mount kit or something similar. Including a Super Rocket Roost is a good idea too, as it is a different style of roost and you local bats may take to one or the other more rapidly. I would instiall 2 of each kind of roost, one in full sun, and one that receives afternoon shade.
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Hello, We would like to install one of your bat boxes in our yard, however, we have neighbors (about 100-200 feet away) that keep a flood light on at night. Will this interfere with the effectiveness of the bat box? Thanks!
This is not a deal breaker and bats will get used to this and may exit later. It would be worse if the light is shining directly on the bat house, but having it on is mostly just attracting bat food. -JC
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How do you recommend squirrel -proofing your bat box? (We also have raccoons and the rare fisher cat around here.) Our plan to put the bat box high up a south facing tree in our sanctuary. Thanks,
You could wrap metal flashing 2' tall around the post, with the bottom starting 3' feet of the ground to deter something from jumping above the flashing.
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Will be attaching bat house to a 2” by 2” pole. What do you suggest I use to mount the house. Also we live in northwest New Jersey and want to have your suggestion for color. We have a house we are replacing with this new house that is a dark brown color but before I order just wanted your suggestion.
Hi- that pole is probably too narrow for the lag bolts contained in our Wood Post Mount Kit. Build out the post with an additional 2x4 to make your post wider/thicker where the ColonyLodge will mount, and then you probably have enough space to use the standard Wood Post Mount Kit and take advantage of the rear vent on the Colony Lodge and the Perch Panel.
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I am a member of the Izaak Walton League of America in Gaithersburg, MD. Is there a discount for non-profit organizations. www.lgsc-iwla.org.
We can provide quantity discounts- please write to sales@batmanagement.com with items and quantites and we can see what we can do!
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I'm a little confused. I would like to get a colony lodge box, but the website seems to have conflicting info about the plastic cover. Does the color of the box matter if there is a plastic cover? Is the plastic cover included in the price of the box? Does the plastic cover block the ventilation holes in the front and back? How does one mount the box without compromising the integrity of the plastic cover?
The ColonyLodge features an exterior that is made of UV resistant plastic intended to last ~20+ years with no maintainance. It comes in 4 colors which you should select based on location, or try several colors if possible to offer bats variation. The "cover" is the outside shell covering the inner wood roosting chambers (plastic roosting chambers do not work as well in general). It is mounted thru the lip above the roof using neoprene washer roofing screws which are intended to be watertight. Please see our manuals here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals for more info. Thanks!
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What is your return policy?
Bat House Return Policy: Within 30 days of receipt, full refund less $20 restocking fee. Shipping is non-refundable.
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does outside HVAC noise bother the bats if I install the house within 5 feet
No, but be sure the HVAC will not blow air into the bat house, or next to the bat house where bats will be flying. As long as the exhaust is not going thru the flight path of the bats it will be fine.
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We live in Idaho and think that we have a colony of Little Brown Bats living in the eaves of our house. We plan to seal their entry point in October, and install a house for them to use next summer. Will this BCM Universal Four Chamber house work for Little Brown Bats? Thank you!
Yes very suitable. The black or green or dark brown (available Fall 2020) color choices would be appropriate. Thanks!
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Hi. I also have a question about placement. I would like to place a 4 chamber house on the south facing side of a two story, detached garage. You mentioned not to place the house immediately above the window. Is that to keep it clean? (Due to the droppings.) The roof is somewhat sloped and in order to keep the box away from the eaves and high enough, I think the best place to place it would be directly over the bottom windows. These are very old windows that just go into the car/storage part of the garage so I don’t care too much if they get nasty. They are also a bit recessed, which I think would mitigate the issue. Thank you!
Bat dropping may splatter on the windows and pile up on the windosill. Minimize this by attaching 2x4 spacers to the house, then attach the bat house to this. Bonus: Cut a 1''x1' tall slot out of the back of your bat house and scrach up the back of it with a utility knife. This opens a vent on the back of the bat house allowing bats to cool off in the space created by the spacers. Be sure not to put the bat house too high on the garage where it is shaded by the eves.
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I live in upstate NY, north of Albany in Ballston Spa. I think I would need to order the black color if I want the bats to use it as a nursery. I would place it facing SE for dawn to noon sun. Is this correct?
Yes, even more direct sun would be good. You cannot get bat houses too hot in NY... if you do, it is easy to fix simply by adding a second bat house to the back.
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Hi! We're wondering if you can predict when you'll have the four-chamber premium bat house (preferably black) back in stock. Thanks!
All colors are currently in stock and shipping within 1-2 business days. For stock inquiries please email sales@batmanagement.com as this Q&A is not updated as regularly. - Thanks!
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Do you have this one in stock? If so if order today will I have in before August 13, 2020, Thanks! Israel
Hello - black and tans are in stock as of this writing. Generally, if an item can be ordered online, it is in stock or is expected to ship within about a week.
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Hello! We want to mount on our house, but don't want guano collecting on our house below the bat box. Does this happen? We can address guano on the ground, but could it be a problem on the side of the house? What do you recommend? Thanks!
Yes guano will be splattered below the bat house as the bats return in the morning or throughout the night. This can be minimized by adding 2x4 spacers between the building and the bat house- this should prevent streaks of urine on the building. The guano might be hosed off a few times a summer, just be careful not to spray up into the bat house.
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Do you ship to Ontario Canada?
Yes, please place the items in your cart, enter the full shipping address, and you will see the cost of the shipping online. Thanks!
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Hey there, any idea when you'll have the BCM Universal Four Chamber Premium Bat House back in stock?
As of July 15, 2020 we have a large batch of black and just a few green we are doing final assembly. We are working to never run out of these items but are at the whim of the plastic molding process. Ususally we are replenished within two weeks. If the website is accepting orders, we have the item in stock and shipping within 2 days. If preorders are available, this means the product is being buillt and usually ships within a week or two. Please use the preorder to secure a bat house in the spring+summer when we seel them as fast as we make them.
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Do you have a time frame when this item will be back in stock? I would like to purchase depending on how long before order could be filled. Thank You.
We occassionally run out of shells for this item however we have been addressing this so that we never run out. We should be shipping these again within 1 to 2 weeks. If a preorder is available I advise to reserve one as in the summer we tend to sell them as fast as we can assemble them.
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When will these bat houses be back in stock? THANK YOU!
We are working to never run out of bat houses; ours are hand assembled in Pennsylvania but sometimes our mold manufacturer cannot keep up. Anytime they are out of stock they are usually back in within about 10-14 business days.
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Should I get a khaki or dark green bat house for Jacksonboro, SC (29452)? When do you think the 4-chamber units will be back in stock? Is it okay to install now, or should I wait until next Spring? John
I don't think you can go wrong with the dark green as it is easier to fix an overheating problem than it is to fix a bat house that is too cool. We are working to never run out of 4 chamber Universal bat houses and Super Rocket Roosts... each should be back in stock in 14 days or less.
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The bats are turning my cedar home into a large bathouse. I have 4 acres of Ozark hills, covered with trees. The yard area has more spaced out trees, but not what I would call a tree line edging an open yard. Where to put the bat house(s)? Up or down the hill? Close or further away from the house? I have any number of trees I could cut off at the proper height to mount. I'd rather not have the bother or expense of installing a pole, especially since everything around here is on an incline -- can't lean a ladder on a pole.
You can put a bat house anyplace in the yard and bats will find it eventually. Many people put the bat house on the house itself for a season or so and seal up the crevices on the siding. Bats should start concentrating in the bat house(s), at least putting them in one place. Then in winter you can move the bat houses off the house onto whatever other sunny location you have that is good for you. The bats -will- find it. They will also continue to find any crevices you missed.
A pole, and pole mount kit, post protector, and cement will run about $100 plus your time to dig a hole. Two people are usually able to flip the pole upright into hole, 3 people definately can, or it could be assembled leaning against a pickup truck with an appropriate ladder rack, then slowly pushed safely into position upright. More info installing is in our manual with the bat houses and also in our learning center: https://batmanagement.com/blogs/bat-roosts and also some videos: https://batmanagement.com/pages/video-bat-house-how-tos -
I will be putting a 4 chamber house on either a round metal pole (2" galvanized steel) or wooden post (4 x 4 or 4 x 6 ). Any reasons to pick one over the other? From an ease of installation point of view, I can see pros and cons for each. If you recommend wood, is 4 x 4 sturdy enough? Finally, how do you recommend mounting to a metal pole? Thanks for all the help, looking forward to finally getting the project in motion.
The 4''x6'' is really only a few dollars more, so that is better than a 4''x4''. We moved to 4''x6'' in the early 2000's. For mounting on a metal pole, find U bolts in the hardware section of a home improvement store that will match the diameter of your pipe. Get long enough ones that will go thru the 2x brackets and the bat house, and literally the bat house could hang on the bolts that will protrude thru. You might need a small bolt going into the pole to prevent the bat house from spinning in the wind. Use locknuts.
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Is the entire house made of plastic, or is the inside wood? I have seen a lot that bats prefer wood so I was curious if thats an issue?
Hello - our Universal 4 Chamber has a plastic exterior only. The inside is very heavily roughened plywood, roughened in random directions. Bats have used all plastic bat houses, but success and site loyalty has varied. We beleive the wood adds thermal mass which allows the bat house to retain heat longer into the night, which is revealed with temperature loggers. Larger, heavier bat houses are of course more difficult to install, but they are routinely more successful than small, lightweight bat houses...essentially most bat houses costing under about $50 are small, and lightweight. We would be selling small, lightweight, inexpensive bat houses... if they worked reliably..
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I want to purchase a Universal 4 Chamber Bat House. What color is Best for Central Oklahoma? It's very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Very windy as well. Do you ever offer free shipping?
Hello - any dark color would be appropriate for your location. Perhaps choose a location on the downstream side of mature trees of the prevailing wind; near some trees but not shaded by trees. Tree roosts sway naturally so bats already expect a bat house to sway too. Occassionally we have a 10-20% coupon available visible at the top of the website in the blue announcement bar. If nothing is there, contact sales@batmanagement.com anyway and we may have a coupon code available!
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Is this composite bat house better as a deterrent to woodpeckers? Do you offer smaller composite built bat houses?
I would say yes; the plastic exterior is difficult for birds to cling to. If someone has first hand experiance or photos of woodpecker damage to our 4 chamber Universal bat house https://batmanagement.com/collections/homeowner-sized-bat-houses/products/universal-four-chamber-premium-bat-house , let us know by emailing sales@batmanagement.com
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I live in central Florida and have several live oak trees. The are at least 50 ft tall. Can I mount on the lower trunk at recommenced height? I they face SE already.
Hello! If the bat houses still receive direct morning sun at least half the day, then yes this would work. Be sure to use stainless steel hardware mounting on a live tree, or you increase the chance of killing the tree.
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Hello! Do you offer free or discounted shipping over a certain amount? We are planning on an order of $450 and thought I would ask. Thank you! Rana
Hello due to the size and weight of bat houses, the shipping is seperate. If you or anyone is travelling near Carlisle, PA, they certainly can be picked up at our shop to save shipping. Likewise we travel frequently and it may be possible on large orders to meet or even be delivered, in certain circumstances. Inquire at sales@batmanagement.com
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Hi! Where is the BCM 4 chamber made? Just curious. Thanks! Sean
Hello the shells are made from our molds currently in NC and each unit is assembled by hand in Carlisle, PA.
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Can the bat house be mounted on a building and are mounting instructions included?
Yes- a couple of points: you probably don't want to tuck it under the eves because it it will get shaded. Many mount 2x4 spacers to the building using tapcon (if brick/stone) screws or other screws, then mount the bat house to the 2x4s. This reduces the number of dropping on the house and makes it easier to install and remove the bat house. There are instructions included and more instructions here: https://batmanagement.com/blogs/bat-roosts/how-to-mount-a-bat-house-on-stonework
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Hi, I live in Washington State. I have a pine tree in my yard that has been limbed up, but because the shallow roots we will eventually take the top off (to prevent falling). What I'm wondering is if I can use this tree as a 'post' to mount the 4 chamber roost to. What is the difference between the standard mounting system and the post system?
If the placement on the tree receives direct sun most of the day, then it serves the same function and would be perfectly fine. You do not want limbs shading the bat house. To get the two pole mount brackets perfectly in line on the irregular tree, lay them out properly on the ground and connect them with scrap wood to frame them in place. Then attach the brackets to the tree with stainless steel hardware to reduce the risk of lkilling the tree. Remove the scrap wood and the brackets should be perfectly in line and the correct spacing for the bat house. Not sure what you mean about standard vs. post, feel free to ask again and provide links.
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I bought 2 of your BCM Universal 4 chamber bat houses about 2 years back to replace my wooden houses that were warping and splitting in the Florida sun. Both houses now hold about 200 free tail bats each. I live in North Florida so I purchased the Khaki houses and from April through October they are full, however when we get cold weather they leave. Question, If I put up a dark green house 4 chamber would they transfer to that house during our brief winter or use during the summer?
The truth to color and micro siting bat houses is all our advice is really just a starting point, and you really have to watch the houses thru the year and make adjustments as needed. If in summer the bats are hanging out of the box, add more boxes on the backside or try the shade roof solution. If you never get bats, the box may not get hot enough or bats simply don’t need more roost space. So, yes, installing the green or black bat houses possibly may have some move in when others are a bit cold.
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Hello, I would like to order several large bat houses. We have Little Brown Myotis's in North Western Montana. They are nesting on the house, we are on a river. We are located at about 3800' with low winter temps 10-20 below occasionally and summer highs in the 90's. Which bat house should we purchase.
Hi - you might try putting a few bat houses on the house where they are roosting... then move those bat houses onto poles out in the yard the next fall, etc. Unfortunately they will continue to use the house unless something is done to deter them...filling in the crevices they are using, etc. The 4 chamber or 3 chamber in black I would suggest. Some would put a bat house on a post today, and another on the house. Then after a season, move the one that was on the house onto the backside of the pole. We have kits available soon for double-sided bat houses.
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We are in PA and intend on purchasing the Universal Four Chamber. Can this be attached to a brick chimney? We have approximately 100-200 bats in our attic according to the local game commission who came to investigate when we called on how to handle them with little one's around. They are entering in a small space near the chimney. We would like to put the house up near their old roosting home and this spot gets sun and is high up.
Yes that should be a fine place, however it is hard to reach. If you have a few acres and a place for a post, you might consider a bat house on a post in the sun, so that bats won't be pooping on the side of the house, etc. If you need assistance with sealing we have a boom lift that probably can reach the chimney both to install the bat house and also seal the chimney at the same time in winter when bats won't be present.
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Hi, I live in Boiling Springs, PA which is in zone 5 on your map. Should I purchase a black or green house? Also, I heard that your facility is up in Carlisle. Can I just pick up the house so that you do not have to ship it? Thanks, Ryan
Hello - either color bat house will work in our area. You can arrange a pickup typically between 9:30-4:00 weekdays by calling 717-241-2228.
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Hi, Do you have the dk Green Universal bat house in stock? I am unable to order it online.
If an item is able to be added to your cart, then it is in stock. Sometimes we do have items in stock and the website has not been updated. Call Jenni at 717-241-2228 for the best information or expected build times.
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I live in cleveand ohio what color bat house do you recommend
Hi- for that location, any northern latitudes or high elevations, you really can't go wrong with black, very dark brown, or very dark green.You really cannot get a bat house too hot in the vast majority of the US. Please see our resource on What Color Should a Bat House Be here: https://batmanagement.com/blogs/bat-roosts/what-color-should-i-paint-my-bat-house
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I'd like to purchase a BCM Universal Four Chamber Premium Bat House in Khaki. Do you have any currently available? I am in New Orleans, LA.
Hello- generally if you can add the bat house to our shopping cart and complete an order, it is in stock or will be in stock within ~10 days.
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Does the plastic shell produce any toxic off gassing ? Exactly what kind of plastic is used?
The material used is polyethylene. The spec sheet states that the material is suitable for contact with food according to the FDA, and that it is biologically and chemically inert. There isn’t a statement about off gassing, the FDA spec is the most relevant passage in the specs.
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I live in southern Ohio. Where I intend to install the bat house gets full sun all day. Should i get the black or the dark green house?
Either one would work equally well, so it's just a personal preference for you! For longest life possible, install the post using a post protector, and also consider painting the shell a matching color with a spray paint formulated for plastic. This would provide a layer of UV protection for the plastic and extend the life even longer.
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I tried to order the 4 chamber bat house but it wouldn't let me add the 4chamber discount at checkout.
The discount code you might have been trying was for the standard 4 chamber premium bat house that as of this writing is available in green and tan. For a limited time you can still get this version until supply exhausts. Those can also be painted black if needed using a good paint formulated for plastic.
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I live just outside of Gainesville,FL and have had great success in previous years with a 3 chamber house my ex built, but in the past 3 years, the bats seem to leave when it gets super hot here. I had it mounted in full sun and they have a pool they fly down to to drink from. After my success, my neighbors also put up houses and they claim their bats don't leave? My ex did make the mistake of mounting it East-West, so I'm thinking the direct sun may have over heated it? It has since rotted and I took it down, but want to replace it and was thinking of your 4 chamber one in tan. I will say that it was a favorite perching spot for Red Shouldered Hawks during the day also. I also have several Eastern Bluebird nest boxes that are utilized all during their season and have found that the polymer type boxes get hotter than the cedar, so I was a little concerned about that aspect too with yours? Thanks!
Hi there- we have tan bat houses throughout FL that are quite successful. Using our mounting scheme, an extra crevice is added to the back of the bat house that is extra vented. That said, you are not starting from scratch, so I'd recommend two bat houses if possible: one in full sun, and another in part shade that is shaded only in the afternoon. Since you have a colony nearby, bats will take to this immediately. Perhaps you can get away with one bat house in the part shade. In the unlikely event bats don't re-occupy it, you can try adding the second back in full sun. The morning sun is -critical- with almost any bat house. Add bird deterrent spikes to the top of the bat house to prevent the hawk from perching; this very well may be why bats are leaving and has nothing to do with overheating. -JC
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Our administration is interested in purchasing a bat house and installing a live camera feed inside. Do you know if these four chamber designs are amenable to camera installation?
There really isn't a good solution for a camera inside any bat house. The crevices are small, limiting the camera to a "borescope" type style that can focus within inches, have infrared lighting, and be able to withstand 140F temperatures. Because bats roost head-down in bat houses, to see the faces you'd need to position below the bats which exposes the lens to guano, urine, and wasp debris. A compromise would be to drill a hole into the side of the bat house so the lens can view sideways and perhaps at a slight up angle. The view would of course depend on if a bat is in the specific chamber in front of the lens. The camera -probably- cannot see all the way across the bat house, so to have full coverage on a single 4 chamber bat house, you would need 8 cameras, 4 on each side. At this point you will want power and cables to the bat house site, preferably from a small office space to house a computer+router to run the cameras and provide internet access if desired. Any camera system will require occasional maintenance, so having a tech-savvy person on staff is important. Most bat "webcams" are not in bat houses, but are located in attics or garages or some other more accessible roost that makes it easier to overcome the tech issues. All that said, we can work with you to design a custom system that is mostly turnkey if desired; contact john@batamanagement.com . -JC
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Hi there! We have several acres and would like to know the ideal distance to locate the bat house from our outdoor living space. We want maximum insect reduction with minimal guano interaction. Should we mount it as close as possible? Or is their range several hundred yards and it won't matter?
Hi there- if you are just trying to start a new bat colony, it is critical that the bat house receive direct morning sun. In northern states -and- Canada, it is a misconception that a bat house (particularly a BCM bat house) may be "too hot" when starting out, so no need to worry about that- all day sun is fine. So, consider placement in the morning sun first; after that it's just a personal preference as to the location; the bats will work the property if there's insects there they are interested in. -JC
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I live in western North Carolina. If I were to put up two Colony lodge 4 chamber houses on a post, what colors and orientation would you recommend? Please and thanks!
Hello- Any of the dark colors should be fine. Bat houses should be oriented SE and positioned so they receive -direct- sunlight as early in the morning as possible. Please see our manual "All About Bat Houses" here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals
and our FAQ online here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/lc-bh-overview -
Can I mount this on a tree?
If you don’t want to set a post and that tree gets direct morning sun for awhile partway up ( at least 10’ off the ground), than that’s going to be your best option, short of putting it on some structure. You’ll want the “post mount kit” with that bat house. However, I suggest picking up some longer lag bolts in -stainless steel- from the hardware store… just 2 of them. Assemble the mount on the ground, then place on the tree so the bottom will be at least 10’ above ground. Bolt in one screw in the upper mount with an impact drill. Use a small level to level the mount and then insert the second stainless bolt thru the lower mount. Here is the manual for the mount detail:https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2378/9221/files/ColonyLodge_0297e01e-b9a4-4ae8-945e-a9d0f40966d0.pdf?v=1676319533
You want to use stainless to reduce the risk of weakening or even killing the tree. And only 2 bolts total rather than 4 you see in our manual, for same reason. You need to purchase 2- 3/8 x 3.5’’ or maybe 4’' stainless lag bolts; a little longer than normal because the tree is round/uneven and you have to get thru the thickness of the bark. Some advise not using trees because the location of the bat house may be too shaded, and it may be easier for predators to get to the bat house. The predation isn't a probem -possibly- until you get a lot of bat activity, in which case you might consider a guard. -
Can this be attached to a large Oak tree? I have a huge Red Oak that the bat house would be shielded from direct sun and also out of view. I don't have a discreet place to place a 16' pole in my yard. I also am not sure which option I should choose. I live in Reston Virginia. I am a Landscape Architect and would like to learn more so I can specify this for my clients. We have plenty of mosquitos around for sure.
Bat houses mounted on trees generally are not occupied as often as bat houses mounted on buildings or poles. Generally it is too shaded, too cluttered, too easy for predators, or a combination of all. Consider a mount attached to the building, not above windows, doors, or sidewalks. The mount keeps the bat house a few inches away from the wall minimzing urine staining. Please see our guide All About Bats here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/manuals
and/or similar guidance starting here: https://batmanagement.com/pages/lc-bh-overview -
Hello, we'd like to install this directly onto our wood engineered siding. It says water-tight roofing screws are sold separately, but don't see how to add them to our cart. Thanks for clarifying.
Hello Liz-
With the "siding mount kit", there will be long deck screws that can be used to attach the mount to the siding, included in that kit. Then there are roofing screws that are included with each bat house that attach the bat house to the mount. There are no extra screws to buy, unless you find the included deck screws are either too long or too short for your specific attachment; but those you might already have or are found at any hardware store.
I would use the mount as it get the bat houses off the siding and minimizes staining from the bats.
Let us know if you have any other questions directly at john@batmanagement.com -
There are bats in the second story eaves of our house. I love these bats and enjoy watching them in the evening. Can you advise me on how to proceed with getting the correct bat house?
I recommend either the ColonyLodge: https://batmanagement.com/products/universal-four-chamber-premium-bat-house or the DayLodge: https://batmanagement.com/products/daylodge Either one mounted as close as possible to the area where they are exiting will be very successful. Setting the bat house on spacers (the mount kit) will help reduce stains on the building. After a season or so you could move the bat house to a post nearby, but it will need to get plenty of direct morning sun for the bats to follow it. Also, as long as the eves are accessible to bats, some number will continue to use the eves, regardless of how many bat houses you put up.
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Will a night lite like on an electric pole harm the bat house if its in the light at night???
While placing a bat house on a pole with a dusk to dawn light is not a deal breaker by itself, it is not recommended as it may light up bats to predators a bit more.
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Hi, I have had bats every year for over 20 years. They always hand under the attic vents on the outside of the house. They don't ever enter into the attic because of the screen. Their waste is ruining the wood so I'd like to order a bat house to place in the same area they continue to return too. Many times we find pup who fell from the vents so I'd like something where they run less risk of fall. I love the bats here but don't like the damage they cause so a bat house is what I'll try. I'm unsure what kind of bats are here...Charlotte NC. They seem roughly 3-4 inches long and dark. Any ideas? I'd like to order the right one. Thank you so much!
Hi- we have three to choose from. The ColonyLodge is largest with an all-plastic exterior. The DayLodge is slightly smaller at 3 chambers, has a recycled plastic roof. The DayRoost is smallest, good if you need to try different mounting locations. When mounted as directed (you would use the siding mount kit), the mount adds another roost crevice to all of these bat houses. Please see our manuals for more info as well as the online info all about bat houses.
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What color Colony Lodge Bat House would I need for Brookhaven, Mississippi? The chosen area will have several hours of sunlight.
Hi- You can probably go with tan or brown. It is important to place somewhere that it will receive -direct- morning sunlight. -JC