Dear children and parents!

Bats prefer to use caves and old, hollow trees as roosts, but because nowadays the caves are often modified by humans and forests are dissapearing, we can help bats by constructing artificial bat boxes and placing them in nice locations. These houses, once built, can be put on younger trees or on the exterior walls of our homes. Once installed, it is important to be optimistic and patient, because bats do not instantly occupy these houses. It usually takes several months (perhaps years) until they realize that it can be used.

There are many bat box designs, developed by bat groups around the world. If we want bats to continue their beneficial work, benefiting all of us, than we must help them by building such houses and compensate for the loss of natural hollow trees.

If you want to help bats by creating and placing artificial boxes, you can study the page of the Bat Conservation Trust (with simple, understandable sketches), including a section about a commonly used bat box design. Soon we will present our own model for you, and if you are planning to build and deploy a greater number of boxes (for example as a school activity, for an entire class of children), we can provide assistance and tips. In any case, for every design, the general characteristics of a bat box remain the same:

  • The wood used for constructing must come from deciduous species, must not be treated in any way, bats like the natural smell of wood
  • The inside surface of the box should remain unfinished, rough, so bats have small irregularities that can hook to hang from
  • Boxes should be placed at heights from 4 meters upwards, and if possible, with a southern orientation (Do not place bat boxes when you are alone, only with adult supervision and approval!)
  • Boxes must be placed so as to permit the easy access of bats, for example in a segment of the tree where there are no branches or other obstructions around the bat box entrance
  • Besides the actual access zone, the bat box must not have cracks (meaning it must be sturdily assembled), to prevent air circulation inside the box

Enjoy the building of bat boxes! We are here to help, if there are questions.