[Texascavers] RE: bat houses
In the recent discussion of bat houses I wondered whether they were successful at attracting bats. At least in England they are: . Mark Minton Bat boxes 'bursting with mammals' Bat boxes installed across Surrey are now bursting with the mammals, the county's wildlife trust has said. Species roosting include a rare Bechstein's bat near Ockley, nine Natterer's bats near Dunsfold and a further 12 Natterer's near Elstead. Surrey Wildlife Trust said the junction of the M25 and A3 dual carriageway was now home to noctule bats, brown long-eared bats and soprano pipistrelles. Bats first arrived at the sites in 2007 and numbers are growing, experts said. The wildlife trust is working with the Surrey Bat Group to improve habitats for bats across the county. Derek Smith from Surrey Bat Group said the reserves at Thundry Meadows, near Elstead, and Fir Tree Copse, near Dunsfold, were the only sites where Natterer's bats had been found using boxes. Wallis Wood, near Ockley, was the only site in Surrey where the Bechstein's bat had been discovered, he said. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] RE: bat houses
Mark Minton said: Please stick with testing LED flashlights, and leave the bats alone! --- I could not agree more! David, you are way off base with your bat posting. Well meaning ideas are one thing, but your posting was done with obviously no prior research or discussion with anyone even approaching expert status. I was going to write a lengthy rebuttal, but decided to save my energy for someplace where it might do some good, like trying to find a solution to the WNS problem. Jim Kennedy, certified bat expert
[Texascavers] RE: bat houses
David Locklear said: >After all, bat guano poisons caves and cave water, It does? Since when? >And what evidence do we have that bats have been using caves before man scared >them away from their natural habitats ? >Bats are perfectly happy living in the crevices of bridges and trees. Right ? What makes you think caves are not bats' natural habitat? I think they are. Crevices in bridges certainly aren't! The types of bats that live in trees are not the same ones that live in caves. >Many people put their animals in outdoor structures.Why not do the same >for bats. Bats need a home that is warm enough in winter. Unless you built a complex structure like the Chiroptorium, a simple concrete shelter would get too cold. Please stick with testing LED flashlights, and leave the bats alone! Mark Minton
