bat houses

kens · #1 01/22/08, 07:38 PM

I need a good blueprint on how to make a bat house I'm planning on hanging it above my compost pile.

Bearfootfarm · #2 01/22/08, 08:56 PM

http://free.woodworking-plans.org/bat-house-plans.html

Here are a few and they are free

Rod Torgeson · #3 01/22/08, 09:54 PM

Here is another source.
http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_prote.../bat_house.asp

Hope this helps.

Rod<---in Appleton, WA

harley · #4 01/23/08, 12:16 AM

My dad has always talked about putting some bat houses up, which basically means he wants them, so I have to take the hint and build them......
Of course mom isnt overly thrilled with the idea of things flying around her head in the dark walking to the garage to go to work at night....
Was just wondering, is there any downsides to having bats around?

watcher · #5 01/23/08, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley

Was just wondering, is there any downsides to having bats around?

The only one I found was they would like to come to my big pond to drink around dusk and they would try to catch my small lures as I would cast. I caught a couple but the loss of the bugs was worth having to catch and release a bat or two.

WayneR · #6 01/23/08, 09:44 AM

http://habitat.ms11.net//bat/bathome.htm

EasyDay · #7 01/23/08, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley

Was just wondering, is there any downsides to having bats around?

As long as they can't get into your attic space, I can't think of anything negative about bats. Wonderfully helpful little creatures!

IMContrary · #8 01/23/08, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley

My dad has always talked about putting some bat houses up, which basically means he wants them, so I have to take the hint and build them......
Of course mom isnt overly thrilled with the idea of things flying around her head in the dark walking to the garage to go to work at night....
Was just wondering, is there any downsides to having bats around?

Most cases of rabies in humans is from bat bites.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html

"Most of the recent human rabies cases in the United States have been caused by rabies virus from bats. Awareness of the facts about bats and rabies can help people protect themselves, their families, and their pets. This information may also help clear up misunderstandings about bats."

Personally, I would rather have bugs than have bats. I'd rather encourage barn swallows and purple martins to take up living nearby.

SmokyShadow · #9 01/23/08, 11:09 AM

Most of the people who contacted rabies from a bat, found a sick bat and handled it, which is a big no-no.

Me, my family & our critters are much more likely to come down with a disease from mosquito bites than from a bat.

This summer we're moving to 4 acres that we're buying. I love it but I have never seen so many mosquitoes! They leave huge welts on me and itch so bad, even with bug repellants! We are going to put up bat houses in the next month or so, as well as bird houses and feeders. I'm even thinking about a toad or two in the garden.

EasyDay · #10 01/24/08, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMContrary

Most cases of rabies in humans is from bat bites.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html

"Most of the recent human rabies cases in the United States have been caused by rabies virus from bats. Awareness of the facts about bats and rabies can help people protect themselves, their families, and their pets. This information may also help clear up misunderstandings about bats."

Personally, I would rather have bugs than have bats. I'd rather encourage barn swallows and purple martins to take up living nearby.

Bats flying around have literally NO interest in you or in biting you. And, as with most all wildlife, should not be handled. We have LOTS of bats around and they often fly VERY close to us. They want the bugs, not us. The just aren't aggressive to people.

I'll take bats over bugs any day!

quietstar · #11 01/24/08, 12:54 PM

Mexican freetail bats catch a lot of insects around my outside light when it's on. Every once in a while the light is blocked for an instant, telling me one of the neighborhood Barred Owls has caught a bat for supper. I guess that's the food chain working...Glen

Quint · #12 01/25/08, 02:28 AM

I have several bat houses. Not that I need them though. I keep enough hollow trees in the woods so I have a plentiful population. They're quite fun to watch on summer evenings. They are active way into the fall too.

I use to work security in some buildings which had lots of bats. I'd inevitably get calls form frightened people because there was a bat inside. Happened at last once or twice a week sometimes more. I handled live bats all the time with no difficulties. I would reach out and swat them down or grab them out of the air and then take them outside. If there were multiple bats I ended up stuffing them into my pockets while I got the others. Many times it ended up as a little nature lesson for the callers as I would let them see the bat close up and show them their little claws and teeth and tell them what kind of bat it was and what they ate. Yeah I always wore gloves just in case but I don't believe I ever ran across a rabid bat when I worked there. A rabid coon once.