Basically, from the bats point of view, a bat house should be warm, dry, easy to enter or exit (no clutter), and safe from predators. Bats may find bat houses more quickly if they are located along forest or water edges where bats tend to fly. However, they should be placed at least 20 to 25 feet from the nearest tree branches, wires or other potential perches for aerial predators.
General Installation Guidelines For All Bat Houses:
· mounted on a pole or the side of a structure. · minimum of 15ft, above the ground. · open uncluttered sites that receive 6 or more hours of direct sunlight / day. · a southerly orientation. Bat houses mounted in back to back pairs should have a SE - NW orientation.
Things To Avoid:
· DO NOT mount your bat house on the trunk of a tree. However, bat houses can be hung from the limb of a large shade tree, if no open areas are available. · Avoid orienting a lone bat house directly North - it will remain too cool. · Don't install the house in a shady wooded area. Please trim any tree limbs that grow close to or shade the bat house.