Pair-Mounting Technique
| A | Galvanized sheet metal roof with 1 - 5” overhang (longest in hottest climates) |
| B | 3/4” space between houses |
| C | 1” x 4” x 42” for large houses 1” x 4” x 30” for small houses |
| D | 1” x 4” x 12” for large houses 1” x 4” x 9” for small houses |
| E | 4” x 4” post |
This new pair-mounting technique appears in the recently published 1995 revision of the Bat House Builder's Handbook, which was edited to incorporate many of the findings reported in past issues of this newsletter.
By mounting two houses back to back with a space between, you will create a single larger house that provides a much greater temperature range. The space between the houses forms an extra roosting chamber, vented from top to bottom.
If you expand the rear vent slots to 3/4-inches wide, bats can move freely between the houses or into the cooler central chamber. Adding a tin roof over both houses will complete the central chamber enclosure. Rough wood or screening on the backs of the houses will make a better gripping surface.
Test your paired houses on poles in east/west versus north/ south orientations to the sun, especially in the South where overheating is a greater possibility.
The new Bat House Builder's Handbook can be ordered from our toll-free number: 1-800-538-BATS.
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