Frog-friendly backyardMetro Toronto Zoo Bat Box Programme
Bats are the primary predators of night flying insects. Yet
the most abundant species of mammal in Canada is losing
habitat. It is preferable to leave bats in their traditional roosts,
but by offering alternative housing in a bat box , we can learn
what bats prefer as roosting sites and what their requirements
are. The Bat Box Program is geared to helping people under
stand that bats are an important component to our ecosystem.
It is not meant to encourage people to evict bats from existing
dwellings, but act as an alternative housing for those who decide
to evict their bats. It is necessary to stress the importance of
learning to live with bats.
When is the best time of year to install a bat box?
Because female bats require a warm, safe shelter for giving birth
in May, bat boxes should be installed in March or early April.
You could also build and install your bat box in late summer or
fall for early occupancy the following spring.
Will the age or type of wood affect occupancy of my bat box?
Aged wood appears to affect timing, but not the probability of
use. There is no evidence that bats prefer a particular type of
wood.
Where should I install my bat box?
Generally, the higher the better. For practical purposes however,
heights of 4-7 metres (12-15 ft) appear sufficient. You may
install your bat box on either a pole, tree, or the side of a house,
as long as exposure to sunlight is adequate. Installing a bat box
on a southerly facing brick wall as opposed to a wooden wall, will increase heat absorption. It is important that your box be
located away from dense woods or shrubbery, preferably along
the edge of a woodlot or clearing, and be free of tree branches
which act as flight obstacles. Protection from the wind in a
valley, or on a hillside as opposed to a hilltop, is preferable. It
should be kept in mind that exposure to sun is one of the most
important criteria for determining use of bat boxes, and at least
5-6 hours of direct sunlight is required each day.
How much sunlight and heat are required?
Ideally one would install three houses with different exposures:
South, East, and Southwest, as to provide the bats with an
alternative refuge in case the temperature in a present dwelling
becomes inhospitable.
Why might bats not use my bat house?
You may not have positioned the bat box so that it receives an
adequate amount of heat and sunlight, or perhaps the box is too
drafty, or lets in too much light through cracks. It may simply
be that bats are not able to live in your neighborhood, due to a
lack of an adequate water supply, pesticide use in the vicinity, or
the absence of a suitable hibernating site or migratory route. Try
a new design or location? Keep us informed of your successes
and failures.
When can I inspect my bat box?
Use of your bat box should be obvious by the presence of
droppings below the roost. If you wish to check for occupancy,
simply shine a flashlight up into the bat box during the day,
without touching or disturbing it in any other way. To deter
mine actual numbers, count the bats as they emerge at dusk.
Can bats be introduced artificially into an area?
Bats have strong homing instincts, and once removed from an
area against their own free will, attempt frantically to make their
way back. For this reason, artificial introduction into a new bat
house should not be attempted.
I have bats living in my attic and wish to keep them there. How
can I clean this area safely?
It is best to clean in the fall, when the bats have moved
out for the winter. Be sure to wear a surgical or painters mask,
and once all of the fecal material has been removed, use a dilute
bleach solution (1 part bleach: 10 parts water) to clean the area.
Bat guano is a nutrient rich fertilizer, and may be used in your
garden to enhance soil quality.
If I paint or stain my bat box, will it decrease the chance of
occupancy?
No. New research indicates that stained or painted exteriors do
not repel bats. In fact, bats living in cool climates like Canada,
may show a significant preference for houses with an exterior
either painted black or stained dark; dark colours will increase
heat absorption. In warmer climates, a natural wood or light
colored box may be appropriate to maximize heat reflection.
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How to build a bat box . Contact: Friends of Bats at Metro
Toronto Zoo for further information about bats or bat boxes. |
How else might I provide a suitable home for bats?
Having a 1.5 meter (5') minimum clearing around your box
keeps the area free from flight obstacles. Tacking mosquito
netting or .65 cm. (1/4") hardware cloth inside the box gives the
bats, especially young ones, a better roosting grip. Increasing the
length of all dimensions, or adding vertical partitions 2-2.5 cm.
(3/4"-1") apart within the box is recommended. It has been
suggested that adding bat droppings or using wood taken from
a known bat roost may provide an inviting odor, but there is no
documented proof that this is the case.
Do I have to clean my bat box?
No. Most bat box designs have an open bottom, so droppings
will fall through. If you choose a box design with an attic, you
may open the hinged top after the bats have left for the year,
and simply whisk the droppings down the centre hole.
For more information on building a bat box contact: Friends of Bats
Metro Toronto Zoo
316A Old Finch Ave
Scarborough ON M1B 5K7
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