Nature Done Wright

   Thanks to a huge assist from my friend Fred Weber, two bat houses are now along the roof line of the house.

    I have been reading up on bat houses, and there seems to be somewhat contradictory information, but I tried to do what I could to make them a success.

    They are located in a southerly location that gets plenty of direct sunlight.  They are roughly 14 feet off the ground. And they have black roofs to retain heat.

   The bigger one, on the right, is a store-bought one with five chambers where the bats can roost.

   It came unpainted, so I bought black paint and painted it myself. It is also supposed to about a half-inch off the house, so I added a piece of wood in back to give it that space.

   The smaller one I got in a trade, and it is absolutely beautiful, built like a piece of furniture, out of hard woods.

    The interior has two chambers, and they are grooved so the bats can hang on better. 

    The roof is tar paper. I think that will protect the wood better than a coat of black paint.

   I do not expect to get any tenants this season, but the hope is that bats this summer will notice them and think about moving in next spring.

   I have purchased another infra-red video-cam — a bat-cam if you will — and I plan use it next spring, first for the wood duck box, then the larger bat house.

    Bats are beneficial mammals that eat mosquitoes and otherwise help keep the flying pest population under control.

    If you live in an area where you see bats at night, you are fortunate indeed.

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