Diggin It
Super Star Member
Not to derail the 'Martins' thread, but somebody there mentioned bats. I've heard a lot of good things about housing bats (with or without a belfry), but also some bad. Have you tried? Your results? Tips?
Bats in Your Belfry?
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oosik
Epic Contributor
I get bats as soon as the insects start emerging from my lake. I have a bat house out nailed to a large limb in on of my pine trees. I would estimate that I get around two dozen bats every summer. Between the cliff swallows & bats - I seldom get a mosquito bite.
Bats can carry rabies. So I never visit them at their bat house.
In the evening, at dusk, I can see the big old barn owls watching the bat house. I've never seen them try for a bat but they do spend time watching. Barn owls look like an enormous, round top, loaf of bread sitting on the pine limbs. Great Horned look like Bat Man sitting on a limb.
If you want to control mosquitos and want bats - go on line and see the plans for a bat house. They are nothing like a bird house. Put the house on a tall pole or as I did - attach to a sturdy tree limb. At least ten feet off the ground.
I've been out here 38 years and never had a bad encounter with a bat. I had one or two fly in the house by accident. Leave a door open and they will come in. Just leave the door open - they soon recognize their mistake and will fly out the same door. No need to panic or get a tennis racquet. They are not in the house to do anybody any harm.
Bats can carry rabies. So I never visit them at their bat house.
In the evening, at dusk, I can see the big old barn owls watching the bat house. I've never seen them try for a bat but they do spend time watching. Barn owls look like an enormous, round top, loaf of bread sitting on the pine limbs. Great Horned look like Bat Man sitting on a limb.
If you want to control mosquitos and want bats - go on line and see the plans for a bat house. They are nothing like a bird house. Put the house on a tall pole or as I did - attach to a sturdy tree limb. At least ten feet off the ground.
I've been out here 38 years and never had a bad encounter with a bat. I had one or two fly in the house by accident. Leave a door open and they will come in. Just leave the door open - they soon recognize their mistake and will fly out the same door. No need to panic or get a tennis racquet. They are not in the house to do anybody any harm.
AllDodge
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Love bats and want as many as I can get
Use to get ate up with mosquito's years ago upon moving into current hose. Tried spraying the woods around the place with little success, and also installed a bat house on the chimney. After a few years the skeeters where getting less and now I hardly ever get bit. My house isn't full, have a couple dozen. If it even gets close, I'll just install another beside the first. Bought my house on line from a .org place
So many folks think Martins eat skeeters, and I guess they would if they saw one, but most of them are along the edge of the woods, bushes, They wait until something comes close before they move. Martins do eat bugs, but don't know of those bugs bothering me
Use to get ate up with mosquito's years ago upon moving into current hose. Tried spraying the woods around the place with little success, and also installed a bat house on the chimney. After a few years the skeeters where getting less and now I hardly ever get bit. My house isn't full, have a couple dozen. If it even gets close, I'll just install another beside the first. Bought my house on line from a .org place
So many folks think Martins eat skeeters, and I guess they would if they saw one, but most of them are along the edge of the woods, bushes, They wait until something comes close before they move. Martins do eat bugs, but don't know of those bugs bothering me
DrRod
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If I turn on the spot lights at night it attracts swarms of insects and in turn a lot of bats. They zoom in and out of the woods as they swoop through the clouds of flying bugs. Their speed and agility is amazing. But we always seem to get one that nests in the porch rafters and once in a while it will get in the house. I've learned to open the door and it will go out but if its late a night it just freaks me out.
I wonder if I put up a bat house across the yard will the bat go over there or am I just inviting more bats that might spread into the rafters, eves, roofs, etc.
I wonder if I put up a bat house across the yard will the bat go over there or am I just inviting more bats that might spread into the rafters, eves, roofs, etc.
oosik
Epic Contributor
I'm thinking a well constructed bat house, strategically located could be more inviting than your porch rafters. The old homestead here had many buildings. The last standing was the old barn. I sold the barn and it's wood to a contractor - he used it in the rec room of one of those UBER expensive custom built homes.
The next spring I could see that the returning bats were in a dither. The old barn had been their roost. So I immediately build and installed a bat house on a large limb in one of my pine trees. It must have been more appealing than just hanging out on various limbs & branches. They seemed to like it and I have about the same number returning every spring.
I have about two dozen bats and probably two hundred cliff swallows every year. Even with the lake and marsh areas I seldom get a mosquito bite.
BTW - a dry fly tied on a #12 or #14 hook does wonders at sunset on my lake.
The next spring I could see that the returning bats were in a dither. The old barn had been their roost. So I immediately build and installed a bat house on a large limb in one of my pine trees. It must have been more appealing than just hanging out on various limbs & branches. They seemed to like it and I have about the same number returning every spring.
I have about two dozen bats and probably two hundred cliff swallows every year. Even with the lake and marsh areas I seldom get a mosquito bite.
BTW - a dry fly tied on a #12 or #14 hook does wonders at sunset on my lake.
Growing up my folks house had mansard roof with bats living in the side walls. We counted over a hundred coming out one evening. Even with couple acres of swap behind us never had a problem with mosquitoes. Occasional ruckus in the walls when a squirrel climbed in and upset the bats.
A week ago had a bat get in our house. They fly around looking for a way out. Have learned to watch the circling path and toss a blanket to catch and take out side.
A week ago had a bat get in our house. They fly around looking for a way out. Have learned to watch the circling path and toss a blanket to catch and take out side.
