Bat Conservation
by John R.C.      (Bat cam was used summer of 2003)

Bat box: 1, 2(bird house), 3(bird house), 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Next >>

A single bat can eat 600 mosquitos in 1 hour and over 6000 bugs in one night.
Bat population declines are due to: Habitat loss, pesticides, slow breeding, vandals,
and being killed by scared people if the bats accidentally enter human homes.

ABOVE, LEFT: 1 Bat in attic on 11/5/2002. There were snow flurries that day. The rest are bats in bat house #1. ABOVE, RIGHT: 18' tall OBC Bat house #1 with guy wires to hold it steady in high winds.
 
Except for Vampire bats in Mexico, eastern U.S. bats do NOT get tangled in people's hair and it is almost impossible for them to transport diseases to humans. They only bite people if they have been cornered which seldom occurs. However, there are extremely rare exceptions.
 
I built this tower and specially fitted many bird houses as some of my combined
nature conservation efforts. I hope this will inspire you or at least
educate you on bats. --John C 2001
 
2003 Monitoring notes:
6/1: 3 Bats in box #1! Some droppings were below it.
6/14: 1 Bat in box #1.
6/18: 4-6+ Bats in box #1. New droppings below it.
6/20: 6+ Bats in box #1. They clustered together...64F at 6 PM.
6/21: 7+ in box #1. 3/4 of 1 chamber full & 1 bat in another chamber. Another cool day.
6/22: 8? in box #1. Only 1 empty space in main chamber, 1 bat in another. Warm day.
6/23: 8-10? in box #1. No empty spaces in main chamber, 1 bat in another. Warm day.
6/24: 8-10+? in box #1. Full main chamber, 1 bat in another. They were closer to bottom.
6/25: Bat droppings in Bluebird box #14.
6/25-27: 8-10+? in box #1. Full main chamber.
6/28-29: 6+ in box #1. 1/2 full main chamber.
6/30-7/2: Full main chamber in box #1.
7/4-6: No bats in box #1.
7/7: 1 Bat in box #1.
7/13: Box #7 mounted.
7/14: 1 Bat in box #1 almost daily for 1 week.
7/20: 1 Bat in box #1 daily for 1 week, 7 Bats in box #5.
7/27: 1 Bat in box #1 daily for 2 weeks, 2 Bats in new box #7 (no photos of the 2).
7/29: 1 Bat in box #1, 3 Bats in new box #7 (have photos of some).
8/12: 1 Bat in box #1 less than 50% of days for 2 weeks, 1 Bats in new box #7 for 3 days.
9/3 Bat in box #7 only 50% of days from 8/21 - 8/29. None since 8/29. None in #1 since 8/16.

 
2002 Monitoring notes:
6/01: 1 Bat in box #1.
6/10: 6 Bats in box #1!
6/12: 6 Bats in box #1
7/6: 4 Bats in box #1, between 2-6 bats in there daily
7/10: 2 Bats in Bluebird box #3 (1st time this yr, 1x last yr)
7/20: No Bats in Bluebird box #3, there were lots of droppings in it.
7/21: 2 Bats in Bluebird box #5 (1st time ever).
7/28: No Bats in Bathouse or Bluebird box #3(none here on last 5 checks).
7/29: 1 Bat in Bathouse, only a few small sightings since then.
11/5: 1 Bat in unfinished attic.

 
2001 Monitoring notes:
8/25: 1 Bat in box #1, it was there for almost a month.
9/13: Bat inside Bluebird nest box #13.
9/29: Saw small bat inside Bluebird nest box #3.
 
Links
Univerty of FL Bat house the size of a MANSION!!!
Multi-chambered bat house plans (2'x3')
Multi-chambered bat hotel (big as a half-shed)
Multi-chambered bat condo (8'x8')
How to mount and paint a (2'x3') bat house
Rocket box bat house plans (3' long, 10" wide on a 4x4)
Photos of bats in occupied (2'x3') houses
"Bat Conservation and Management", An excellent resource on bats
 
To learn more about Bats visit the: Organization for Bat Conservation web site: http://www.batconservation.org/.