0
0
Jamey and her husband Jamey built a bathouse two-and-ahalf years ago. This house had been vacant for a while until Wyclef, a small brown bat moved in this spring.
Emmert: “We are thrilled that this little fellow lives with us.”
The bats are hibernating in caves from November until March. But they also need to have a place where they can roost and hunt at night.
Emmert occasionally gives programs about building bat houses using kits in his role as wildlife communications specialist at the Ohio Division of Wildlife. But it was an amazing gift to get the couple such a big bat house. It had multiple chambers and looked like a building of apartments for bats. Wyclef was able to use this method because the little brown bats prefer to live alone and do not like sharing space with others.
Specifications
Wyclef is able to spend his day sleeping upside down with the bat-friendly décor. It’s scored or textured to allow bats to grab on and dig.
Bats must gain altitude to be able fly. Emmert advised bat houses to be placed high, up at least fifteen feet.
The bat house has an entry at the back, rather than in the front as birdhouses have. Emmert says that Wyclef, who hunts bugs in the evenings after nine o’clock, “flings his body out of the bottom-opening, descends and then turns around to come up again” when he is ready.
Her advice is that the bat house should be oriented east or southeast in order to keep it cool during afternoon sunlight. The house should be free of trees, vegetation and other obstructions so the bats living there can fly down to crawl through.
While in Canada darker colors absorb more heat, the South favors white reflective surfaces. Ohio is relatively cool for the majority of the year. Neutral gray, or a greenish grey color will do.
Bat Conservation International maintains a list approved vendors that sell bat houses in kits, or already built. Bat Conservation & Management sells a variety of bat houses, including those with up to four chambers.
Bat-friendly gardening
You can help bats in other ways by growing plants native to your area that will attract nectar-loving insects such as moths. Jim McCormac’s and Chelsea Gottfried’s book, “Gardening for Moths : A Regional Guide”, recommends Culver’s Root, evening primrose, and spiderwort.
A bird bath is not enough for bats. As bats are not able to land and drink but instead float in the air, sipping water as they fly, a large body of water is required.
Emmert told the audience, “Humans are in need of bats. Bats also need us.” By protecting bats, you will also be saving countless species.
You can access detailed information on attic ventilation that includes best practices, essential strategies and specific instructions. Understand the impact of attic ventilation on energy efficiency, humidity control and your overall home health. Discover the optimal ventilation needs for your particular climate, attic, attic ventilation upgrade and retrofit, roofing material, and roof space at https://therooftechnician.ca/. Discover how different ventilation methods, such as ridge and soffit ventes, gable ventilators, powered exhaust systems and soffit vents interact with each other to produce an airflow balance. If you are looking for ways to maximize existing attic venting or you plan to install a brand new system, this resource will equip you with all the necessary knowledge to achieve a properly ventilated and functional space. Take advantage of the experience of the professionals to empower yourself and make an informed decision about the attic ventilation of your home.
