Why Homeowners Put Up Bat Houses

Bat houses are specially constructed shelters that give bats a place to roost in between hunting. If you are wondering why anyone would want to put up bat houses on their property, continue reading to find out the top reasons for incorporating them.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control
Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Bats are Ecologically Important

Although bats have a negative stigma as being diseased-ridden rodents that will attack you, the reality is that bats are amazing and graciously-beneficial creatures. In fact, they are mammals, and the only mammalian species capable of flying. Sure, some animals soar, float, or drift on wind currents; but bats actually fly like a bird. Additionally, bats serve a highly-critical ecological purpose, and even contribute to the well-being of our local economies. Here’s how:

🦗 Natural Pest Control – A single bat can consume more than their body weight in insects, in just one night! That averages out to be around 1,000 or more flying mosquitos, gnats, flies, and other insects. Not only does this free and effective pest control help promote more comfortable outdoor environments, it protects crops from pest damage, which in turn helps farmers earn more, and also stimulates the economy.

🌼 Pollination – Bats are major contributors to seasonal pollination, which in turn supports and stimulates our local Eco-systems, but also, improves our crops, forests, woodlands, and gardens. They accomplish this amazing feat by distributing pollen and other types of rich organic matter to meadows, forests, woodlands, fields, farms, and more.

💱 Economy Boosters – With the combination of pest control and pollination, farmers reap exceptional benefits from bats by growing bigger, healthier crops. Healthier, improved crops deliver profits to farmers and to the vendors that sell their crops. This money goes back into the economy, and back into farming, creating a cycle of economic stimulation. It also creates jobs since more help is needed to farm and distribute annual crops.

Bat House Basics

If you wish to safely support the local bat populations, installing a bat house on your property is an excellent contribution. See our blog, “Instructions For Installing a Bat House” to learn what you need to know about procuring a bat house and getting started. You can also benefit from our blog, “Can I Keep a Bat House Up in Winter?” to review the basics surrounding bat house care and maintenance.

It is important to install bat houses carefully, and to follow all best practices for choosing a type of house and a location. Bats can be preyed upon, so you should never hang a bat house on a tree or near a copse of trees. Furthermore, if they get too close, bats can turn into a messy, costly nuisance, which is why you should also never hang a bat house to close to yours.

Nuisance Bat Removal and Control for Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 to speak a licensed professional regarding bat removal services in Louisville, Kentucky. Our DNR licensed and insured wildlife control experts also offer a wide range of residential and commercial bat cleanup and damage restoration services , including decontamination, fumigation, structural damage repair, preventative maintenance, post checkups, and more. We may also be able to provide bat damage insurance claim work depending on your particular policy and carrier.

Instructions for Installing a Bat House

Bats can certainly be a nuisance problem if they find their way into our homes and buildings. However, bats also serve a highly important ecological purpose that benefits us, our society, other animals, and the entire surrounding ecosystem. Not only do they consume millions on flying insects (like mosquitoes and gnats) each night, which serves as excellent pest control for us and our crops, their guano helps with pollination, soil fertilization, and more. In turn, the benefits bats offer support our local farming and agriculture enterprises in our communities, and enhances the local economy. They also reduce the quantity of mosquito bites we get on a late summer evening.

If you want to do your part to support local bat populations in your area, you can choose to install a bat house on your property. Continue reading to learn the proper guidelines and recommendations for bat house safety, including instructions on how to install a bat house.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control
Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Obtaining a Bat House

You can purchase blueprints online and build your own bat house, but only do so if you are a highly familiar with wood work and building. There are many complex and vital factors that must be taken into consideration when constructing a bat house, so it requires a higher level of skill and experience. If you are not a seasoned carpenter, it is recommended to simply purchase a pre-constructed bat house, online or at your local home and garden store. These are already constructed in adherence to all best practices and humane awareness in the industry.

Installing a Bat House

It is important to never install a bat house near your own house or a neighbor’s house. Furthermore, never mount bat houses directly onto trees. Bats, especially pups, are too vulnerable to predators and other dangers if roosting on the side of a tree. Also, the house does not get enough sunlight to keep it warm inside since it is blocked by the tree’s canopy, and tree limbs can get in the way of a bat’s entry and exit point. Instead, mount your bat houses on metal poles, wooden posts, pivot poles, or on a side of a building, like a shed or barn.

To install your bat house, simply follow the manufacturers instructions provided. If you are building your own bat house, follow these tips:

☑ Choose an area that faces either East or South, and receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.

☑ Keep the bat house at least 20 to 30 feet away from obstructing branches and tree limbs.

☑ Place the house in a spot near a natural body of water, like a stream, creek, or pond.

☑ Be sure the bat house is 10 to 20 feet off the ground or tallest plant.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control

Call 502-553-7622 for Louisville bat removal and control you can trust. We are DNR licensed and insured bat control contractors who use safe, non-lethal methods of extraction and exclusion. We serve both residential and commercial clients, and at the most competitive prices in town. Emergency 24 hour service is also available. Request a free estimate, today.

The Benefits of Putting Up a Bat House

Although bats can be quite the nuisance to residential and commercial properties, especially if they get inside, there are times when you might benefit from having them around. Bats are a highly important part of our surrounding eco-system. They serve a vital ecological importance that should be respected and appreciated. For some, having bats nearby is a huge advantage.

Continue reading to learn why bats are so vital to our lands, and some tips on putting up bat houses to attract them to your property.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Bats and the Eco-System

Bats are not solitary mammals; they live their lives in large colonies. As insectivores, bats consume gnats, flies, mosquitos, moths, and more. In just one night, a single bat can consume more than 1,000 insects. Now multiply this by the number of bats in a colony, and you have yourself a natural, cost-free insect control system at your service!

So how does this influence the eco-system?

Well, not only do we get to enjoy pest-free outdoor activities, crops and lands are more protected from pesky insect damage, which helps farmers make more money, which also positively affects the local economies. In addition, insect control at these levels helps to reduce the spread of communicable livestock diseases that are often transmitted through insect and tick bites. And let’s not forget the bat droppings! Bats help fertilize and pollinate our lands as well, which makes our eco-system stronger and healthier.

What You Need to Know About Bat Houses

If your home or property is located on a large piece of land, perhaps near a body of water, you likely have the perfect place to put up a bat house. Not all properties are well-suited for bat activity, so it is important that you follow the recommended tips below in order to prevent costly bat intrusions or risky encounters.

Bat House Tips:

Choose (or construct) a bat house that is a total of 24 inches in height, and contains 2 to 4 chambers. The chambers should be at least 20 inches tall, 14 inches in width, and 1 inch deep, for optimal comfort. It should also have horizontal grooves about a half an inch apart on the inside. Bat houses should also have a landing plate with grooves, shingled roof, and an open bottom. Do not get overwhelmed with these features; you can buy a bat house that meets these standards.

As for choosing a place to hang your bat house, if the bat house is too close to areas where people are known to convene, it poses a risk of dangerous bat encounters or destructive infestations. So to be safe, aim for an area on the edge of your premises that faces north or south, preferably near a body of water, like a stream, creek, or river bank. Be sure the spot you choose gets at least 7 morning hours of sun. Mount them on something sturdy, like a large tree trunk. Do not mount the house directly to the surface; instead, be sure to use a spacer (2 to 4 inches) and a long backboard.

If you want to collect bat guano for fertilizing your garden, add a collection tray beneath the house. Before each winter, you must check the bat house for wasp or mud dauber nests, and clear them out as needed. And every few years, it will need a new coat of paint or stain.

Louisville Bat Removal Service

Louisville Bat Removal Kentucky

Louisville Bat Removal 502-553-7622

Call 502-553-7622 for prompt and professional Louisville bat removal and control you can trust. We are DNR licensed wildlife control contractors who provide residential and commercial bat removal services at competitive prices. Whether you have one bat or an entire colony, we are fully equipped to manage any job regardless of size or scope. Request a free estimate, today.

Consider Installing a Bat House for Microbats

Microbats can certainly be a nuisance animal for homes and buildings, but they also play an important role in our surrounding eco-system. For this reason, it is helpful to find a happy medium between bat control and bat preservation. Homes and properties located near wooded areas and bodies of water are prone to higher bat activity, and cannot entirely prevent bat presence on their lands. In cases like this, if you can’t beat them, join them. There are ways to control bat activity on your property, and one method is installing a bat house. Continue reading to learn tips for controlling bat presence on your property, as well as, the benefits of a bat house for microbats.

Bat Control and Prevention

Some homes are located in areas where bat presence is a guarantee and there is no way of completely eliminating bat populations. For these homes, it is wise to do whatever you can to prevent bats from entering or being attracted to your property. Hire a professional contractor to inspect the doors, windows, siding, and roof shingles on your home, and have them sealed to prevent animal intrusion. Then, take certain measures to keep bats off your property; for example, install motion sensor lighting, or sound machines outside to prevent bats from entering your premises. But precautions like these won’t keep bats away entirely, so there are other methods of bat control you can use to prevent bat damages and intrusion on your home. One helpful method is a bat house.

Bat Houses

Bat houses are perfect for microbats since they love to take shelter somewhere cozy, safe, and accessible. A bat house provides all of these elements for a bat, thwarting them from looking to your home as a means of shelter. A bat house attracts bats, and controls their location by keeping a certain distance between the home and the bat house. The best type of bat house is one that mimics the space between bark and tree, since bats generally spend their summer and winter months inside trees, under bridges, and in buildings. This means it should be narrow, dark, and insulated to stay warm. If you provide this sanctuary for bats, they will use it and stay far away from your own home.

When you wish to install a bat house, be sure to choose an area with the right elements. The location of the bat house should be in sun, at least 15 feet off the ground, and nearby a source of water. Although bats often take shelter in trees, it is not a good idea to place a bat house in a tree. This invites certain predators and other nuisance wildlife activity, and doesn’t allow the sun to naturally heat the inside since it’s blocked by branches.

To find the perfect bat house for your property, simple search and shop online or visit your local wildlife supply or garden store. They are relatively inexpensive, and range in price depending on the retailer, quality, and design. Choose one that you would like to roost in if you were a bat!

If you are experiencing bat infestation problems, or need to get rid of bats in the attic or other area in your home, call a licensed bat control contractor right away. They retain the proper tools, training, and equipment to safely and humanely remove bats and relocate them to a faraway habitat. Never harm, trap, or kill bats! Ask your wildlife contractor about installing a bat house and they will be happy to assist you.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control

Call Louisville Bat Removal and Control at 502-553-7622 to get rid of bats in the attic, or other part of your property. We are DNR licensed and retain several years of experience in the wildlife rescue and control industry. We provide a wide range of bat removal and control services for residential and commercial properties, using only safe and non-lethal methods of exclusion. Call 502-553-7622 to learn more about bat houses and bat control in Louisville, KY.