Im looking for some natural mosquito extermination and the Martins only last about half the season! Does anyone have any experience with bats and bat houses? I have plans for them and supposedly they stay until season end? Any one got any info to offer up? Thanks.

 

Bats are great at keeping the bugs away. I had a few living in my attic for a while, I had to get rid of them because of the stink, and since then I have noticed more mosquitos. I too have been looking at bat houses, Bruce Waynes is nice, but a little pricey (sorry i couldnt resist a little batman humor)

 

I don't know where to look, but a customer of mine bought a bat house and had it put up on a tree. It's kind of like a bird house, but different. I seem to remember horizontal slots for them to hang or nest that faced down. He told me its supposed to face one particular way (north, south, something like that) and be on a tree not close to people. See if you can find anything by doing a Google search.

 

http://www.batcon.org

fromthedepthsoftheBatCaveShortround out

 

We had a problem with bats at the ranch. I looked at getting bat houses back then, but they may not even choose to live in them. It is a hit and miss situation with the bat houses.

 

The ones that work are larger than a birdhouse.

My girlfriend has one of those and I don't think any bat with an once of pride would want to live in one. They are more like a rest stop.

However, I built a big one (4feet x 8feet) that has two chambers. It is about 6 feet off the ground and nestled in a quiet shady part of the property. They like that one.
I left a small gap under the top 2x4 and the sides, for some air circulation in the summer. In the winter I fill this with a strip of wood.

 

We have one that is 24 inches high and 12 inches wide. It hangs under the overhang on our carriage house (open garage). They crap alot! there is a new pile under there almost everyday. They do eat the bugs man, we live out in a wooded area with streams and such and can sit outside most nights with no problems. My wife swears by the bathouse and its occasional residents. (they do come and go so its more like a motel)

 

Mosquitos can be a problem down here where I live. I put up 3 boxes and after several months have bats living in them! We purchased the boxes at Home Depot for about $20 each. Ed B

 

I built one and it took some time but they finally found it. My instructions said to put it on something like a TV antenna pole so cats and other predators couldn't get to the bats.

 

Yes, I was going to stress this. You have to be patient because the bats have to find it I guess by happen chance. Mine is high on a pine tree and it took a couple of years before it was occupied. When you have mosquitos as large as hummingbirds, these little guys are a welcome evening addition to the yard.