Q: If I install a bat house, how do I get bats to use it?

A: Bats are almost always in the market for a new (or better) home, so if a quality bat house is installed in the correct location, they will usually come.  The main attracting factors will be proximity to food and water, shelter conditions (heat, darkness, little or no draft, and keeping dry), shelter color (darker colors for cooler climates, lighter colors for warmer climates), and shelter orientation (15' to 20' high, facing South to Southeast, with plenty of morning sun).  Also, never place within 30' of a dusk-to-dawn" light; this confuses them and they will likely not occupy.

Q: Is there a "best" time of year to place a bat house?

A: A bat house can be installed any time during the year.  Many species of bats are migratory, so greatest occupancy success comes when a bathouse is installed in fall or winter, so any foreign smells have diminished by the time they return in the spring and are actively searching for shelter.

Q: What color bat house should I get?

A: I recommend darker colors for cooler climates and lighter colors for warmer climates.  The color you choose will play a major factor in the internal temperature of your bat house; a dark colored bat house in Florida will be too hot inside to be comfortable for bats.  The opposite goes for northern climates; a light colored bat house in Michigan will not collect enough heat.

Q: How long will it take for bats to occupy my bat house?

A: If your bat house has been installed properly, you will generally have bats occupying in 1 to 6 months; if not, you may want to try a different location.

Q: I had bats in my bat house last year, why didn't they return this year?