How many bats can live in this bat shelter?
Some sellers with similar sized bat houses advertise that they can hold ridiculous quantities of bats, using population densities found in winter roosting locations where bats huddle in tight to share warmth. Using that theory our shelter could hold as many as 70 bats, but realistically it will comfortably shelter 12 – 20 bats as a spring/summer roosting area. At the rate that bats eat mosquitoes and other insects (thousands per night) a large population of bats wouldn’t realistically have enough to eat in most people’s yards.
What else can I do to help coerce inhabitation?
Location is the most important! Bats will be looking for safety, food and water. If you see bats in your general vicinity, then you don’t need to do much, just do your best to ensure the new location is more attractive than other options. They will move from a current roosting spot nearby if yours is more appealing or when they reproduce. Mount the shelter as high as possible, under the eave of a building or on a pole is best. A tree will suffice if that is your best option, but bats try to rest during the day while squirrels run up and down the tree… kind of annoying I imagine. Regardless of where you mount the bat house make sure that there are no obstructions 2-3 feet below the opening, bats need some clearance to “fall” into flight. The shelter should be mounted in or on the edge of a clearing (such as a grassy yard) where there will be plentiful supply of mosquitoes and other flying insects. Water should be within 1/2 mile, which is usually pretty easy to accommodate for most homeowners. Usually folks who go long periods without in-habitation are trying to lure bats from long distances (this is why many bat house sellers say it could take up to two years)… unfortunately there isn’t a Zillow app or real estate agent for bats looking for a distant relocation! Lastly you could try a bat attractant, I can’t vouch for any of the brands available as I haven’t had a chance to conduct a conclusive test on the top selling attractants.
How long will it take for bats to move in?
It is not uncommon for it to take some time for bats to move in to a new home, especially if they have already established shelter somewhere else. They would look for a new home if they need a better source of food, they are getting crowded (baby bats), or they are being evicted by pests or predators. I have seen and have had customers report that bats have moved into their new bat house within days! As I mentioned in the question above, folks who go long periods without in-habitation are usually trying to lure bats from long distances (this is why many bat house sellers say it could take up to two years)… unfortunately there isn’t a Zillow app or real estate agent for bats looking for a distant relocation!