| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| pnygrl |
Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 08:34:01 AM
I lost a horse last fall from West Nile Virus even thoguh he was vaccinated. This is something we have not really had way up here yet. We had a very wet year and the mosquitos were awful. I am trying to figure out ways to reduce mosquito numbers and protect my remaining animals. My first project is bat houses. I got some pretty nifty instructions for building them online and am going to get them done and up this spring but I don't have any experience with the potential pitfalls of bat housing- any tips? |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| electricdunce |
Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 1:47:33 PM
The black won't cook them, I'm sure any dark color would be fine. I have lots of bats who live on the top floor of my barn. Since I have a big pondnext to my house with a stream running into it, moving water for the blackflies, still water for the mosquitos, I am very grateful to have the bats. I guess if I had the bat houses I would just mount them as high on your house as you can...good luck. Bats are wonderful.
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
| pnygrl |
Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 11:44:49 AM
Thank you so much for your reply. Do you recall how high is very high (ball-park)? and also, the instructions I have say to paint the outside black for warmth- what color is better on the outside that won't cook the little guys? |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 11:37:01 AM
I took a class last year at our Natural History Museum (in Cincy) but I haven't had the time to build my houses.
The one thing that I recall the most about why bats either don't come, or they don't stay, is that the houses need to be VERY high--so that they go unnoticed by almost every species. Not because they're hunted, but apparently they're very solitary and private.
They also need to be painted in a color that reflects the heat during the day, so as not to toast the little ones inside. |
