Number 21

Distributed in furtheranceof the acts of Congress ofMay 8 and June 30, 1914.Employment and program

opportunities are offered toall people regardless of

race, color, national origin,sex, age, or disability.

North Carolina StateUniversity, North CarolinaA & T State University, USDepartment of Agriculture,

and local governments

People are becoming increasinglyaware of the importance of thebats they once persecuted.Increased pesticide use, the loss ofroosting and foraging habitat hasresulted in the current decline ofmany bat species. North Carolinasupports 16 species of bats,including three federally listed asendangered. This publicationprovides information about bats,their benefits, and steps toencourage bats on private lands.

The Importance of Bats Bats serve as important pollinatorsof many food plants as well asprovide useful aids for medicalresearch, particulary for the blind.

Bats are the only major predator ofnight-flying insects. Bat preyincludes lacewings, cockroaches,gnats, and mosquitos as their majorfood source. A single Big brown batcan eat between 3,000 and 7,000mosquitos in a night, with largepopulations of bats consumingthousands of tons of potentiallyharmful forest and agricultural pestsannually.

Permanent wet areas are criticalbecause they supply water and aconsistent insect supply.

Flying MammalsBats are the only mammals capableof true flight. Their wings are likehands with skin stretched betweenmodified finger bones. They are notblind, but rely on echolocationinstead of their eyes for locating andcapturing food at night. Bats aremore closely related to primatesthan the rodents with which they areoften compared. They have slowreproductive rates with typically onlyone offspring cycle. Like all othermammals, female bats nurse theiryoung.

North CarolinaCooperative Extension ServiceNorth Carolina State UniversityCollege of Agriculture & Life SciencesCollege of Forest Resources

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Balancing Bat HabitatA balance of foraging habitat and roosting habitatis essential. Bats spend over half of their lives inroosts and rely on sheltered, undisturbed naturalsites such as caves, crevices in rocks, and treecavities to meet their needs. In the wintermonths, insulated roosts are important forhibernating bats, while in late spring and earlysummer, roosts that can sustain daytimetemperatures between 80 and 90 degreesFahrenheit are important for raising young bats.Bats are somewhat opportunistic in their roostselection and often utilize man-made structuressuch as attics, abandoned houses, church lofts,and barns where natural roosts are unavailable.

Promoting Bat HabitatEncourage bats on your property by furnishingforaging and roosting habitats in close proximity.Maintain and manage snags in mature woodlotsto increase the availability of natural roosts.Ensure foraging habitat by protecting allpermanent water sources such as beaver ponds,swamps, marshes, and streams.

BAT HABITATS TOPROTECT

Foraging RoostingBeaver pondsMarshesStreamsFarmpondsSeasonal poolsLarge drainage ditchesRiver drainages

CavesDead, hollow snagsLive cavitiy treesAbandoned homeplacesOld stone chimneysCrevices in rocksTravel corridors

N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Install properly constructed artificial roosts inareas were natural roosts are scarce orabsent. Solitary species such as the Hoarybat will not use bat houses consistently as willthe colonial bats, which include the Littlebrown bat, Big brown bat, and Easternpipistrelle. Use the following diagram tobuild effective, maintenance-free bathouses for roosting and raising young.

Basic Bat House Design

Working With Wildlife # 21 - Bats

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Installation Tips♦ Place bat boxes close to rivers, lakes,

ponds, marshes, or other permanent watersources where insects are abundant.

♦ Secure boxes to the sides of trees with aten penny nail or with crimped wire or a lagbolt that can be loosened as the treegrows. Boxes mounted on fast-growingconifers may have to be remounted every2 to 3 years.

♦ Tilt houses at a 10 degree angle to helpyoung bats stay in the box.

Construction Tips

♦ Use cedar, cypress, or pressure-treatedpine lumber to insure durable, longer-lastingboxes.

♦ Use rough lumber, cut shallow grooves, orattach fine plastic or wire mesh to the innersurfaces of the box so bats can easily crawlup and into the house.

♦ Avoid painting or varnishing the inside of thehouse.

♦ Paint or cover the roof and the top fourinches of the sides with tar paper or anotherdark material to insure the high temperatureranges required by both young and adultbats.

♦ Seal all seams with silicone caulk towaterproof houses and prevent heat andmoisture losses.

Prepared by:Edwin J. Jones, Department Ex

Mark A. Megalos, Extension Fo J. Chris Turner, Extension

♦ Place bat houses 10 to 15 feet off theground. Always seek assistance whenusing folding or extension ladders.

♦ Locate boxes where they will absorbmaximum sunlight. Where possible, placefour boxes per tree, one each facing North,South, East, and West, to allow the bats tochoose the box they need.

♦ Install bat houses by early April. Don’tworry if bats do not begin using themimmediately. A recent survey by BatConservation International (BCI) showed a52% occupancy rate for all boxes. It maytake up to two years for bats to find andbegin using artificial roosts.

♦ Inspect bat houses annually and removeany vegetation that could interfere withentry to the roost or allow predators toenter. Attach predator guards of roofing tinon the mounting post or tree at a height ofthree feet to protect roosting bats fromhouse cats, raccoons, and snakes.

North Carolina BatsBrazilian free-tailed batBig brown batEastern big-eared batEastern pipistrelleEvening batHoary bat

Indiana bat *Little brown batNorthern long-eared batRed batSmall-footed batSeminole batSilver-haired batSoutheastern batVirginia big-eared bat*

* Federally listed as Endangered

tension Leader,restry Specialist, Associate

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References:

W.D. Webster, J.Parnell and W.C.Biggs, Jr. 1985. Mammals of the Carolinas,Virginia, and Maryland. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.

Tuttle, M. and D. Hensley. 1993. “The Bat House Builder’s Handbook”.Bat Conservation International, Inc., P.O. Box 162603, Austin, Texas 78716-2603

Virginia big-eared bat illustration on page 1 used with artist’s permission.

10-9

Other Wildlife Notes Available:No. 1 - Endangered Species No. 14 - Snags and Downed LogsNo. 2 - Eastern Gray Squirrel No. 15 - Managing Edges for WildlifeNo. 3 - White-tailed Deer No. 16 - Building Songbird BoxesNo. 4 - Songbirds No. 17 - Woodland Wildlife Nest BoxesNo. 5 - Wild Turkey No. 18 - Low Cost Habitat ImprovementsNo. 6 - Wood Duck No. 19 - Pools for AmphibiansNo. 7 - Cottontail Rabbit No. 20 - Hummingbirds and ButterfliesNo. 8 - Bobwhite Quail No. 21 - BatsNo. 9 - Ruffed Grouse No. 22 - OwlsNo. 10 - Black Bear No. 23 - Managing Beaver PondsNo. 11 - Raccoon No. 24- Herbaceous Plants for WildlifeNo. 12 - Mourning Dove No. 25- SIP Wildlife OpportunitiesNo. 13 - Wildlife Terms

FOREST STEWARDSHIPa cooperative program for

improving and maintaining all of theresources on private forestland

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