Recycled or Wooden Bat Houses?

The (not so new anymore) wave of recycled plastics is still a wonderful thing as for as birding accessories. Durable, tough, handsome, and most come with guarantees against splitting, cracking or fading. Bat houses are now available in recycled plastics, and like all other products, guarantee a longer life…in fact…a lifetime of use.

One of the advantages to this recycled bat house is the rich, dark color. Not only for aesthetic purposes, it retains heat from the sun to keep the chambers warmer on cold nights. It’s large enough to hold hundreds of the beneficial little brown bats, whole colonies if you will. Excellent for natural pest control, bats will consume whole populations of mosquitoes in one night.

Wooden bat houses are still mainstream, and are available for smaller groupings and large colonies too. Bat House Kits are even available if you’re so inclined to build your own. Most wood bat houses are constructed of red cedar, also durable and very long lasting. If purchasing a bat house, your decision may be based on looks, size, and or price. A wide variety of bat houses are available, the key is proper placement. Approximately 15-20 feet from the ground is best, usually facing a southern or southeast exposure. They may be post or pole mounted with additional hardware, or simply attached to a tree. Some say they can be erected on structures as well, we would not recommend this.

Help brown bats to thrive flourish in your yard by offering proper shelter and you’ll be rewarded with natural insect control for the season!