How to Mount a Bat House on a Metal Pole
Bats are efficient predators of night-flying insects. Any reduction of these buggy pests by means other than chemical is a benefit to man. Bat houses provide shelter for these mammals, increasing their survival rates and their ability to consume insects. Bat houses also keep bats from attempting to take shelter in homes and outbuildings where their interactions with humans are not always pleasant. Proper mounting of the bat house increases the likelihood the bats will use it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Select a location for the bat house. It should be exposed to as much sun as possible in all but the hottest climates. Bats also prefer houses located within a mile of a source of water, such as a lake or stream.
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Mount the bat house to one end of the pole. Use U bolts, appropriately sized to fit the metal pole. Drill holes, with a power drill, in the wood frame of the bat house to accommodate the threaded ends of the U bolts. Tighten the nuts on the U bolts to securely hold the bat house to the metal pole.
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Mount the pole in the ground. Ten feet is considered a minimum height for a bat house. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the bat house, the better. Use a post hole auger to excavate a hole at least 3 feet deep. Place the pole in the hole, positioning the front of the house in a southerly direction, and fill the hole with concrete. Make sure the pole remains straight as the concrete sets. Allow to thoroughly dry.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are installing two or more bat houses, place them in locations offering different conditions. For example, place one in full sun and one in partial shade. This offers the bats the option of choosing the best conditions each day.
Adding a hinged break to the pole near ground level allows the bat house to be lowered to the ground for repair and maintenance. This is safer than climbing a ladder to fix any problems with the bat house.
References
- Photo Credit more bats 64. image by mdb from Fotolia.com
