» How To Make A Bat Box
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How to Make a Bat Box
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Bats are under threat of decline due mainly to the destruction of the habitat where they live and roost. Putting up bat boxes creates artificial habitat where many species of bat may roost, some may even breed in them, though bats are unlikely to use them to hibernate. Once bats have moved in they will not necessarily use the box every day, they will know of several roost sites and will switch between them depending on weather conditions and time of year. There are several types of bat boxes available from specialist shops and garden centres or you can make them yourself!
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Making a bat box
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Use untreated wood as many wood preservatives can kill bats; untreated wood should last 10 years. Use rough sawn wood as this gives the bats something to grip onto. If the wood is smooth rough it up using the teeth of a saw. You need a plank of wood that is 15cm x 110cm x 2.5cm. Nail or screw the pieces together. The base is fixed to leave a gap next to the back board between 15mm & 20mm wide. The lid can either be nailed on or hinged (bike tyre inner tube is good) and wired securely shut. Your bat box needs to be well made to avoid drafts or rain getting in!
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Where to put your bat box
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The best place to put a bat box is on a tree, if not then on a corner of a building, under the eaves. Place boxes as high as possible (at least 3m up) in sheltered and wind free areas exposed to the sun for part of the day. The area around the box needs to be clear to allow the bats a direct flight path in. Boxes are best put up in groups. Bats are very sensitive to temperature and this allows them to choose a box suitable for the weather conditions and time of year. Fix them in groups of up to 3 around a tree trunk facing north, southeast and southwest. You can either use a strap to fix the box up (make sure it is checked each year as the tree grows) or nail it to the tree (Aluminium alloy nails are best).
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Bats and the law
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Because of the problems they face bats and they’re roosts are protected by the law. It is an offence to disturb a bat roost or to kill or handle a bat without a licence. Contact your local Wildlife Trust or bat group if you find a sick or injured bat or would like a colony to be surveyed. The best way to find out if bats are using your boxes is to watch them at dusk, or you can look for crumbly black / brown droppings on the ground below the box. Bats may take some time to find and use the box but will often then use it for years.
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