A single bat consumes 50 to 100 percent of its body weight in small insects each day.
Maybe you’re tired of hearing the bats in the walls, finding bat poo all over the yard or worried about the possibility of getting bit by a rabid bat. Or maybe you want those things. Either way, there is a solution: bat boxes.
Bat boxes, also known as bat houses or bat shelters, are a safe, humane way to house bats who might otherwise not have access to a suitable home. “Bats are at risk in lots of parts of Canada,” says Katie A. H. Bell, Bat Stewardship Coordinator for the Habitat Acquisition Trust in Victoria, B.C.
“One reason is a risk of loss of habitat, so a big element of that is urbanization. Massive trees are torn down, wetlands are filled in which takes away feeding and roosting areas. A bat box creates an alternative for them.”
How can having bats on my land help me?
Some may be looking to encourage bats to leave their roost in an attic or barn, or may be hoping to attract bats to their property to take advantage of their positive impact on the environment.
Bats naturally assist farmers and other property owners by reducing bugs, specifically pests like mosquitoes and insects that harm crops. Bell says that a single bat consumes 50 to 100 per cent of its body weight in small insects each day. Not only does that mean less itchy mosquito bites, that also means a possible reduction in the amount of insecticide needed for produce.
Additionally, Bell says ‘guano’ or bat feces acts as an excellent fertilizer for gardens. Still worried about rabid bats? The idea that all bats are rabid animals is a myth, Bell says. “They’re not going to come out and attack you. They are able to recognize us through echolocation and generally want to avoid us. If they come near us it’s because bugs are near us and they want to eat the bugs.”
How do I know if I already have bats?
Not sure if bats are already on your property? Here are some clues:
● Your property is within one kilometre of fresh water
● Guano is present—look for small black pellets
● If you hear something in the wall that can’t be explained by other creatures, it may be
bats.
If you’re still not convinced, Bell says it’s best to sit outside at sunset and watch the sky. “You can see if you have them, and what direction they’re coming from and find out if they’re going to or from your house.”
Biologists, like Bell, are another resources you can use. They’ll come out to your home and determine whether or not there are bats around.
And if you don’t already have bats living in your area, but are hoping to attract them to your farm, putting up a bat box for them to live in just might do the trick, though Bell stresses that there are no guarantees bats will settle in.
Attracting bats to your property using a bat box
The best way to attract these helpful creatures to your property? A bat box. Bat boxes can be purchased, ready to put up, or you can build your own using simple instructions online. However, Bell notes the type of house you need and the space in which to place it varies.
There are two types of bat boxes: maternity boxes and rocket boxes. Maternity boxes are placed on the side of a building, and contain four chambers to allow for increased temperature variation for bat pups.
Rocket boxes contain two chambers and are generally mounted on a pole. Both maternity and rocket boxes should be mounted 12 feet above the ground, minimizing access for predators, and they should allow for maximum sun exposure.
“There definitely is some concern that people making these boxes didn’t keep the best interest of the bat in mind,” Bell says. “We stress a ¾ inch spacing for the box to deter other animals getting in there and making sure that on the inside there are little grooves for [the bats] to hang on to.”
Because bats like a warmer space, painting the house black to absorb heat is also suggested.
- Courtney Dickson
For more information
Building plans for both the bat maternity house and the rocket box can be found at www.hat.bc.ca.