subject: Attracting Bats to your Garden - Choosing the right Bat Nest Box [print this page] Attracting Bats to your Garden - Choosing the right Bat Nest Box
There are 17 species of bat in the UK and all of them are protected. Putting a bat nest box in a tree in your garden is a good way to encourage bats into your garden and will help conserve the different species. Bats need a nest site that is protected from the elements, and predators, to roost and rear their young. They feed mainly on insects so can be a natural pest controller if encouraged into the garden.
Bats typically roost in caves, mines, tunnels, attics and trees. They will often move around to different roost sites as they are sensitive to changes in temperature at different times of day and year.
Bats mate from September to October, hibernate from November to February and rear young from June onwards. They will also use different roost and nesting sites at these different times of year.
Bat boxes are typically small with a slit type entrance and small space inside to simulate a nook or cranny in a cave of rock face. Several Bat nesting boxes can be put up in close proximity to each other to form a bat colony or colonies.
Once you have purchased a bat box, the next decision is where to site the nest box. It should be placed at least 1.5 meters off the ground but can be 5 meters or higher. If placing more than one bat nest box, they can be sited on different sides of the same tree to allow the bats to move around as the sun moves around or to a sheltered side in adverse weather.
It is great to sit in the garden on a summers evening and watch bats come out at dusk, their acrobatic skills are great to see, as they chase insects and they will often swoop down near a garden pond to grab insects attracted to the water.
You can see more information on Bat Nest Boxes at www.nestboxesandfeeders.co.uk. As well as information on bird nest boxes, insect nest boxes, owl boxes, nest box cameras and other hints and tips on attracting other wildlife into your garden.
