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~Colleen~
my loves...
Member since 5/05 9129 total posts
Name:
guess
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Bat Houses
Anyone build or hang a bat house?
I'm interested in hanging one since bats are great for the garden and curious to see people's experience with it.
This one is from Smith & Hawken:
Attracting bats to your yard or garden is a natural, earth-friendly way of controlling its population of pesky flying insects. In a single night, one bat will eliminate thousands of mosquitoes, moths, gnats and flies. Our bat house is designed to attract and provide sanctuary for up to 30 insect-consuming bats. Contrary to popular belief, bats are exceptionally clean and healthy mammals. Being nocturnal, they are rarely seen, but the benefits of their insect diets are unmistakable. Our bat house features a grooved landing pad and a screened interior of bat-safe mesh for roosting. The rough-sawn pine construction simulates a bat?s natural environment. Includes the book Understanding Bats, which details the fascinating secret lives of these gentle creatures. 6 3/8" W, 3 3/8" D, 13 3/4" H.
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Posted 4/27/07 2:19 PM  |
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TheLorax
LOVE
Member since 2/06 5581 total posts
Name:
Suzanne / SuzBride
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Re: Bat Houses
My parents have two and they haven't had a single bat (Smithtown). My grandpa has two and he has TONS of bats. He lives in the catskills though. They are great cause they eat pests/mosquitoes. I know you are supposed to try to mount them high.
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:21 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Bat Houses
I used to think I saw bats in my area, but they turned out to be swallows. Which, incidentally, eat tons of bugs too. And nest in boxes, but not like a bat box.
Although, a barn swallow might nest in a box like that.
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:23 PM |
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kerrycec03
Mom of 2 beautiful boys!!
Member since 6/06 13519 total posts
Name:
Kerry
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Re: Bat Houses
From what my DH tells me, bats rarely come to areas they are not familiar with (we were talking about this a couple of weeks ago). Do you know if there are bats in your area?
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:24 PM |
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~Colleen~
my loves...
Member since 5/05 9129 total posts
Name:
guess
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Re: Bat Houses
We get a lot of bats.
I have read that the box neds to be high and needs to face the south (I believe)...and could take an entire year before any will actually nest.
I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out...
I love barn swallows (I love their tail) - I've seen quite a few at Caumsett.
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:31 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Bat Houses
Where do you live that you have bats?? That's so cool.
I see tons of tree swallows at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside. There are actually nestboxes for them on the light poles on Ocean Parkway. Keeps the mosquito population under better control.
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:45 PM |
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MrsNaunie
Kai helps my father dump out.
Member since 9/06 1181 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by greenfreak
I used to swallow box...
swallow box
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:55 PM |
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~Colleen~
my loves...
Member since 5/05 9129 total posts
Name:
guess
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Re: Bat Houses
Huntington.....even weirder is seeing Seagulls flying over my house (I'm not *that* close to the water).
But the bats show up at that certain dusky hour...some of them are pretty brazen and will swoop down real low...and you can hear them too. It's so neat.
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| Posted 4/27/07 2:56 PM |
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CathyB
Member since 5/05 19403 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bat Houses
My cousin has a bat box in a big evergreen in her backyard for at least 5 years now. She said she gets bats in it, she's in Wantagh Woods.
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| Posted 4/27/07 3:00 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by ~Colleen~
Huntington.....even weirder is seeing Seagulls flying over my house (I'm not *that* close to the water).
But the bats show up at that certain dusky hour...some of them are pretty brazen and will swoop down real low...and you can hear them too. It's so neat.
You will probably see Seagulls the most when there is about to be a storm. they tend to move inland.....
But Colleen - I am scared of this bat house. are you sure you've thought this thru? what if you go outside and night and there's a bat just hanging out???????? Bats are SCARY!!!!!
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| Posted 4/27/07 3:06 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by MrsNaunie
Posted by greenfreak
I used to swallow box...
swallow box
You know how I feel about my box.
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| Posted 4/27/07 3:14 PM |
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MrsNaunie
Kai helps my father dump out.
Member since 9/06 1181 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Bat Houses
Oh bats are my FAVORITE!
They eat mosquitos  Plus they are cute.
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| Posted 4/27/07 3:15 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by ~Colleen~
Huntington.....even weirder is seeing Seagulls flying over my house (I'm not *that* close to the water).
But the bats show up at that certain dusky hour...some of them are pretty brazen and will swoop down real low...and you can hear them too. It's so neat.
OMG, they could be Chimney Swifts! The next time you see them, follow where they go. Chimney Swifts do some kind of aerial maneuver at sunset, flock in a circular pattern and then dive bomb into their roosting place - usually a Chimney.
Do they look like cigars with wings? Fly erratically and chirp a lot?
Check this out - click on "Song" on the left for a recording of what they sound like
Message edited 4/27/2007 3:25:47 PM.
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| Posted 4/27/07 3:22 PM |
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MsG
Should be working
Member since 5/05 2824 total posts
Name:
G
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Re: Bat Houses
This thread just brought back memories of when I would see tons of bats in Brooklyn, at night. So weird, I wouldn't think they would be there, but there were a lot.
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| Posted 4/27/07 4:31 PM |
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sflower
LIF Infant
Member since 3/06 134 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bat Houses
We have one on our house. It was there when we bought the house and it kind of freaks me out. The other night one of the bats flew out of it and hit a tree and knocked himself out. he got up in a few minutes and flew away but if they can fly into a tree, i'm afraid they can fly into me
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| Posted 4/27/07 4:37 PM |
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MsG
Should be working
Member since 5/05 2824 total posts
Name:
G
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by sflower
We have one on our house. It was there when we bought the house and it kind of freaks me out. The other night one of the bats flew out of it and hit a tree and knocked himself out. he got up in a few minutes and flew away but if they can fly into a tree, i'm afraid they can fly into me
One hit me once when I was on a boat on a lake. 
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| Posted 4/27/07 4:40 PM |
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sflower
LIF Infant
Member since 3/06 134 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by MsG
Posted by sflower
We have one on our house. It was there when we bought the house and it kind of freaks me out. The other night one of the bats flew out of it and hit a tree and knocked himself out. he got up in a few minutes and flew away but if they can fly into a tree, i'm afraid they can fly into me
One hit me once when I was on a boat on a lake.
oh my god i would probably fall in the water
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| Posted 4/27/07 4:41 PM |
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~Colleen~
my loves...
Member since 5/05 9129 total posts
Name:
guess
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by lululu
But Colleen - I am scared of this bat house. are you sure you've thought this thru? what if you go outside and night and there's a bat just hanging out???????? Bats are SCARY!!!!!
Aw, they're cute! LOL
They very rarely will come down close to humans - they're just as afraid (if not more) of you as you are of them.
No forked tail so they're not swallows - some could be chimney swifts but we definitely have bats too.
Message edited 4/27/2007 5:07:38 PM.
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| Posted 4/27/07 5:05 PM |
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tourist
Member since 5/05 10425 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by MrsNaunie
Oh bats are my FAVORITE!
They eat mosquitos Plus they are cute.
Really?
I'm so scared of bats. There were so many my the train where I used to live in Mt. Vernon (Westchester, near the Bronx border) & my friend wholived a few blocks away had one get into her apartment at night. I was so freaked out.
I didn't think people intentionally lured them to their homes!
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| Posted 4/27/07 5:07 PM |
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MrsNaunie
Kai helps my father dump out.
Member since 9/06 1181 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Bat Houses
Lol- I really do like them!
I guess I'm intrigued by them.
Normal regular everyday birds = 
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| Posted 4/27/07 5:25 PM |
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oops123
LIF Adult
Member since 8/05 2509 total posts
Name:
michelle
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Re: Bat Houses
Posted by MrsNaunie
Posted by greenfreak
I used to swallow box...
swallow box
OMG
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| Posted 4/27/07 5:27 PM |
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CaseyGirl
Mommy to 3 Boys :)
Member since 5/05 19978 total posts
Name:
Jen - counting my blessings...
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Re: Bat Houses
Oh wow I never thought of that....I would love to get one, we have bats who fly in our yard at night during the summer....
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| Posted 4/27/07 6:14 PM |
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