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

Bat house #6   (now next to Bat house #8)
Photos by John C., 2003 in Dickerson, MD.

ABOVE: Bat house #6 was formerly a troubled Bluebird house. House Wrens kept killing the baby Bluebirds and eggs. On June 29, 2003, it was retrofitted for use exclusively as a Bat house. The side entrance was blocked, a bottom entrance was added, and the inside of the door was made smooth by adding aluminum flashing to it. This flashing keeps bats away from the door, so they don't get hurt when the door is opened. (door was removed when left side photo was taken) 1/8 plastic mesh from OBC (Organization for Bat Conservation) was attached to 1/2 of the inside for the bats to cling to.

LEFT: Bat house #6 placed in new location on non-commercial utility pole on 7/1/2005. It is near a pond and 4 of my other animal nest boxes. The broken roof was rebuilt and covered with dark brown aluminum flashing to better seal the box from drafts and rain. The box was also mottled with black paint to keep it warmer when the sun hits it. It is in the Poolesville area of Montgomery County, MD, on NIH's property. I am very grateful to NIH for allowing me to use their campus for this project.

Monitoring notes:
6/29/03 Originally a Bluebird house, it was retrofitted as a bathouse in Dickerson.
7/20/03 No Bats. Added landing plate made of cedar with 1/8" plastic mesh screwed to it.
    (1st check since building it)
9/23/03 Knocked down and roof was broken in a flood.
7/1/05 Mounted it in new location in Poolesville.