Unfortunately, some bat species are threatened with extinction. One of the reasons for this is that there are fewer and fewer suitable quarters for the little flying artists. Properly hung bat boxes serve as a substitute dwelling and can help to preserve the habitat of the protected animals.
Bats change their sleeping place from time to time
What should a bat box look like?
You can easily build a bat box yourself or buy it in stores:
- It should be made of rough wood so that the animals can hold on tight.
- The entrance opening must be on the underside. The insectivores climb up from here and are protected from predators.
Hanging the box
Here are a few points to consider:
- Do not hang the bat box over windows, balconies, house entrances or the patio in the garden. As a result, faeces excreted during rest periods do not become a nuisance.
- A quiet, little-frequented place that the bats can always fly to is well suited. The place should also be protected from the weather.
- Several boxes in a small group are ideal, as the animals occasionally change their sleeping place.
- Bats prefer your home to be south-east to north-west oriented. Boxes pointing north-east to east are also well received.
- The ideal height is between three and five meters. The entrance hole must be free, because the flying artists like to swarm around it.
- Since the shy animals avoid light, outdoor lighting should not reach the replacement housing.
- Since the dwellings have to be checked regularly, make sure that you can look inside unhindered from below.
Secure the bat roosts very well, as rickety housing will not be accepted. In addition, there is a risk that loosely suspended bat boxes will fall down in the wind and injure passers-by.
tips
It often takes a long time before the flight artists accept the new apartments. Usually the first traces of droppings indicate that a bat has moved in. During the summer months, you can carefully shine a flashlight into the box during the day to see if a resident is resting.