Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The weight of BatBnB’s three models are as follows:
Single-chamber: 15 lbs
Dual-Chamber: 26 lbs
Mammoth: 36 lbs
All units can easily be installed on poles or walls by using the included quick-mounting system.
Thanks for your interest in helping save the bats! Watch the video here to learn more about what features make BatBnB’s excellent, expert-approved bat houses.
Good news is that bats don't typically eat bees due to a scheduling difference. Since bats are nocturnal and bees are usually out during daytime, bees and bats typically coexist well together and both provide important ecosystem services!
Interested in getting a bat house for your yard? Visit BatBnB!
Finding a good location for your BatBnB requires weighing many factors against each other. Some factors will increase your chances of occupancy more than others, so the key to optimising your occupancy chances is finding the location with the right combination of these factors.
As far as orientation, this is a less important factor than the duration of direct sunlight. 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day is ideal and will keep your BatBnB’s inhabitants warm and happy.
However, the orientation of South or East both have their benefits:
South-facing will keep your BatBnB warmer for longer as the colder seasons come and go and the sun’s path crosses lower in the sky.
East-facing will allow your BatBnB to be hit with the morning sun and will warm the unit shortly after bats have returned from hunting at night—keeping the BatBnB warmer for longer while they are present
West-facing is less ideal, as it would warm the box during the evening, only keeping it warm for a short while before the bats leave to go hunting).
Furthermore, if you mount your BatBnB on a pole, it may see less effect from orientation. A building completely blocks the back of the unit from receiving sun, while a pole only slightly blocks the sun.
Once again, receiving more direct sunlight would largely override the benefits gained by the orientation.
The dual-chambered BatBnBs: the Seneca, Meramec, and Carlsbad all comfortably fit up to 120 bats. The single-chambered BatBnBs: the Cascade, Arroyo, and Sonora all comfortably fit up to 50 bats. The Mammoth comfortably fits up to 240 bats.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!
If you can hang your bat house slightly away from areas with high traffic, that would be ideal! Also avoid hanging bat boxes above doorways to prevent bat droppings from getting on people's shoes.
See our hanging guide to help you choose the perfect location for your BatBnB!
Owls and hawks can be predators of bats, so we recommend hanging your BatBnB roughly 20 feet away from major tree branches where the predators can perch.
For more bat house placement tips, see our hanging guide!
BatBnBs mimic the natural habitat of a bat, which is the peeling bark on a tree, so they are designed to be naturally appealing to bats. While we can't be 100% sure that your BatBnB will become inhabited, if you follow our recommended guidelines for hanging, Merlin Tuttle (the bat expert we work with) suspects your BatBnB should have an 80% chance of occupancy within the first few seasons. Occupancy rates often depend on the specific placement of the unit, but we've had customers tell us of bats taking up residence in their BatBnB within a month of putting it up. Usually, once a bat finds an effective home, they keep coming back season after season. While there are some types of bat "bait", most of these products are not backed by research and so we don't recommend using them.
For more hanging tips, see our hanging guide
We recommend first considering hanging your BatBnB on a wall if that option is available. The wall helps retain heat which can help warm the back of the BatBnB, making it more appealing to bats.
If a wall is not an option, the second best option is to hang it on a pole. (Just insure that the location gets ~6+ hours of sunlight). See our hanging guide for more details!
We caution against using trees, for two primary reasons. The first one is that the branches will shade the BatBnB and prevent it from getting 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day (the most important factor affecting occupation chances). The second one is that the branches will act as a perch for predators which can turn your BatBnB into a death trap for roosting bats once they exit the unit. I would thoroughly look into these two factors before placing on a tree if you have no other placement options.
BatBnBs should be hung anywhere from 15-20 feet from the ground. The entrance of the BatBnB should be a minimum of 12 feet high. This height helps bats have a clear space to drop to catch flight.
If your building is not tall enough, you can always consider hanging your BatBnB on a pole instead. See our hanging guide for more details!
The single-chambered BatBnBs can comfortably accommodate between 40-50 bats and the dual-chambered BatBnBs can hold up to 120 bats. The Mammoth BatBnB can comfortably house up to 240 bats.
See here for a full list of BatBnB features that make them excellent bat homes.
No, bats are wild animals and are not sold. However, there are 47 different species of bats in the USA and bats can be found in both rural and urban areas! Almost anywhere there are bugs, there will be bats. (Though oftentimes they are hard to spot!) Putting up a high quality bat house is the best way to attract bats to your property.
Visit BatBnB’s bat education zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!
Mosquitoes, Sphynx, corn earworm and armyworm moths, green stink bugs, June beetles, cucumber beetles, grasshoppers, crickets and many more. They avoid a lot of the ‘good’ bugs such as bees or butterflies due to scheduling conflicts; bats are actually asleep during the day when these bugs are most active. Learn more about bats in the Bat Education Zone.
As with every solution to Zika, there is no clear data for us to follow. What we do know is that health experts agree that controlling the disease requires controlling the Aedes Egypti mosquito populations and that’s exactly what bats in North America do.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about bats and the pests they eat!
Did you know that bats are highly resistant to cancer, arthritis, and many scary diseases lethal to humans. Learn dozens of other exciting facts about bats in the Bat Education Zone.
Bats are far too intelligent to seek the company of anything as dangerous as humans! Bats are also incredible at maneuvering in flight and will avoid humans. In the extremely rare occasion that this might happen, examine yourself for any bites or scratches, and consult a medical professional if you’re concerned.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about the truth about bats!
In reality, bats are mammals, like us! Bats actually make up 1/5 of all mammal species on the planet! These bats play important roles in the ecosystem by eating pests and acting as seed dispersers and pollinators. Bats clean themselves like cats and are incredibly smart. They also often only have 1 pup (baby bat) a year, which is why it’s so important to keep them safe and help them recover their population.
Visit BatBnB’s Bat Education Zone to learn more about bats!
Guano is actually an amazing fertilizer, as it is high in potassium nitrate, which plants love. Consider placing the BatBnB above a low-traffic, non-edible garden bed and the guano will help the plants grow big and strong. Be mindful however, that if too much guano is accumulated it could burn the plant like too much of any fertilizer, too much nitrogen. Interestingly enough, the potassium nitrate can also be extracted and used in gunpowder and explosives; guano was an important resource for that purpose during the American Civil War. Bat guano has also been found to preserve fossils.
Avoid touching or breathing in any guano personally, just as you would normally avoid any wild animal droppings. You’re actually more likely to get histoplasmosis from bird droppings than bat droppings, but nonetheless, steer clear of bat droppings and be safe. If you’re ever inclined to move your BatBnB or clean it up close during the winter after it’s already been occupied, then be sure to wear proper respiratory masks and goggles, and don’t breath in any dust. In general though, if you’ve never been overly concerned about bird poop in your life, then guano shouldn’t bother you.
Unfortunately, BatBnB is currently only sold online at batbnb.com and on Amazon.com, so it isn’t available for local pickup at this time. If you are interested in wholesale or affiliate opportunities with BatBnB, get in touch.
While there is no guarantee of what bats will do (because they're wild animals), it’s likely that if bats are already in the area and are already looking for the most suitable home, they will usually choose an attic if no bat house is provided. Providing a good bat house often does encourage bats to leave the attic or house and go into the bat house instead, because the bat houses are designed to perfectly meet the bat’s habitat needs . According to bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle, the reverse happening has never been reported.