Absolutely agreed Jerry - I do wonder how many people miss these guys just as dusk falls, purely by not looking up now and again, I love seeing them making the most of my garden, the shrubs and pond attracting all kinds of insects. I guess it's like moths really, butterflies get a lot more press and attention ;) Best wishes to you - Joel
💗 I have bats at my house in France...they live behind the shutters and in the barns and are a godsend for munching on all the mosquitoes that like munching on us! We sit out at dusk...wine in hand...to watch them all come out of their roosts and start their hunting for the night. The ‘talking’ noise they make when they wake up/go to bed is wonderful. Had them for years flying around our UK house, but haven’t seen any over the past couple of years 😞
So good to hear Lucy! People always question the wildlife ponds, asking how the mosquitoes are addressed, we don't have to do a thing due to the bats, birds, larger insects, amphibians that are attracted to it - they take care of it all from larvae to adult mosquito. So much habitat for bats, needless to say, has been lost in the UK due to the new fascia boards etc, no gaps in any roofs - these boxes are so important for them - so glad you have them in France, I've not been to my place in Ambrieres for over a year now due to lockdown etc and I'm missing it so much! Best wishes, Joel
Well hopefully not too long before we can both be enjoying French sunshine, wine, cheese & wildlife....I just hope the boar have left a little bit of my garden intact 🤪
I just finished working on a public volunteer project making four chamber nursery bat houses which can house hundreds of bats each. If you're using commercially made smooth lumber you need to make grooves all the way inside the roosting areas too. The bats will thank you!
Me too :) I have bats already, but just seeing them as dusk falls is pretty amazing - I think you might find there are more than one and the more insects you make habitat for, the more they will visit :) Best wishes Helen, Joel
So glad it will be of help, so simple to make and so many more are needed - sometimes bats and moths are forgotten when we are planning gardens with nature in mind :) Best wishes to you and thank you again for your support - Joel
Brilliant to see Joel 👌🏻 Grandchildren are coming. They want to help me knock up a hedgehog house, bird boxes, bug hotel and will add this to their project list😉
Hi George - you'll have your hands full this week then! Hope the weather holds out for you, unless you have a "grandad shed" (such fond memories of those!) of course. Let me know how you get on, I would like to see photos of course! I'm just about to leave site as we've been rained off (and on, and off again!) so I'm going back to the office to catch up on admin AND your email!! ;) Best wishes to you and the grandchildren - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel Family are coming this Friday from Jersey It’s been 18 months since we’ve seen them. Hopefully the weather will be better from Friday onwards. Unfortunately shed and garage are packed from house move 19 years ago 🥴
@@george-1961 Packaged shed and garage... that sounds familiar! haha - my empathies! How fantastic that you finally get to see your legacies again and you'll be sharing important info with them :) Best of luck, let me know how you all get on - Joel
Thank you Peter, that's very kind of you and really makes a difference to me, it's the encouragement I receive from others that keeps me going and knowing that these videos are providing further homes/habitat/food for many creatures in need makes the efforts all worthwhile :) Best wishes to you, Joel
I love bats, beautiful misunderstood creatures. Their little faces and hands... Would love to see more footage of any that come into the nests. Great job Joel, love your channel.
Hi Jo :) Yes, absolutely, very misunderstood and although Vampire Bats in South American countries were named this *before* Bramstoker came up with Dracula, I think a lot of people only "see" bats as part of Halloween these days! I remember reading that bat droppings (due to their high nitrogen content) were the biggest export product of Texas, way before oil :) One of the client's friends asked me to make a bat box for their father as a gift too, so there are several that I'll be awaiting news on re habitation - I have got a fair bit of footage of the bats in my own garden but it's so difficult to film at dusk, although I will keep trying :) Thanks so much for the kind comment, it is appreciated - best wishes, Joel
Very daring, filming from the top of a ladder, they look very good fixed up under the eaves, lets hope they attract plenty of Bats, most of ours crawl into the gaps in the stone walls of the barns, I think there are cavities inside, but there are plenty more in the loft space, and in the summer when the windows are open they fly around in the house, I am surprised at how light in can be and still see them flying around, I can watch them dropping out of the joints of the barn when it is still quite light, as a further observation I see Kestrels flying a long time after sunset when it is dark? Stay safe! Chris B.
Hey Chris :) Same here, just before dusk there are at least eight we count dipping down towards the pond and around the tree and border edges. I have seen them at my place in France but of course not for over a year now due to pandemic etc! So wonderful to watch though :) Yep, up a ladder at that height is not my favourite place to be! ;) Best wishes, Joel
Thank you very much :) I am so glad that there will be more of these houses, they're very much in need - our modern house building, lack of natural habitat is already affecting numbers and yet these little creatures do us so many favours re insects and particularly mosquito control at dusk :) Let me know when you get some visitors - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I will Joel and thanks again. It's easy for people to overlook the need to protect and help our natural wildlife. Hedgehog boxes and hedgehog doors in fences are another important thing that people can do to help our wildlife.
You're very welcome Trevor :) Thanks for taking the time to leave such a kind comment, I really appreciate it. Thanks for making another much needed habitat - best wishes to you and yours, Joel
Thank you Mark, appreciated :) Yes, pressure treated and chemically treated boxes are a no-no as these can be extremely harmful to bats, I don't think that many people know this and some market-available ones do include pressure treated wood unfortunately - the wood will be absolutely fine for bird boxes and there are many exterior "egg-shell" water based paints that can provide sufficient protection to give these boxes a longer life. Bird boxes don't need painting, they can be of course, but I remember reading via the RSPB a few years ago that magpies and other predatory birds have got used to seeing these "elaborate" boxes (usually painted to look like cottages or caravans etc!) and know immediately they have young inside - best wishes to you - Joel
Hi John, absolutely you can, although I would recommend a glue like Eco-Bond Pet Safe or similar, this is safe for bird-boxes too. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks a bundle. I was concerned as iI know that some, if not all, bats and birds are susceptible to some paints and glues. A near neighbour has recently discovered bats in his attic and is thrilled.
@@johnlewis9745 Hey John, you're very welcome and it's great to know that you were considering this, most wouldn't! Great news for the neighbours and I'm sure they'll utilise your box/boxes too - brilliant :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton He’s also got peregrine falcons coming to his garden. Nobody believed it, at first, so he made a video and sent it to an ornithological group who agreed they were peregrines. Nobody else nearby has either bats or peregrines.
@@johnlewis9745 Oh wow. One of my favourite birds and how incredible! I saw one only two days ago up in Lincolnshire, it spotted a starling and was incredibly quick at turning, missed the starling (lucky for that bird) but they are amazing. That's a garden check list bird for sure! Great to hear this :)
Nice design but I’d have thought providing grooves inside would have been better so they can grip comfortably. I’d love to see these on more houses. I’m going to give it a go.
Thanks very much for the instructions, soo easy to make. Just a suggestion in regards to preserving the wood; use raw linseed oil instead of paint to avoid any possibility of contamination via old oil based paints. Three new bat houses on the way!
Hi Don, thank you for this, it's a very good point - the client wanted to paint these boxes but we ensured that they were painted with water-based eggshell, but for a more natural look then linseed oil definitely - well done on the 3 new houses, the arrival of the bats will be reward in itself. Best wishes to you and yours for 2023 - Joel
Thank you Tracey, very much - I hope you and yours are well, the weather this way hasn't been too good the last few weeks but thankfully the colder weather has held back a few plants that would normally have their blossoms/flowers destroyed by the winds this time of year :) Let me know how you get on with the bat boxes - best wishes, as always - Joel
how easy is that ...seen the prices in shops ect ... no excuses i must make some...thanks for this joel .. ill try to get my next door interested both sides .. already got them turning there gardens wildlife freindly after they took a look at mine ...hope your well mate 👍
Hello you! :) Great to hear from you, yep they're so simple to make and make such a difference, so many bats have been displaced and had a hard time since all the modern techniques/upvc fascia and the like, plus all the natural habitat loss, barns being converted into multi-million pound houses, the list goes on! ;) Brilliant re the neighbours, I am so sure we can make a bigger difference by proving that wild doesn't mean messy, the rewards are ten-fold and the maintenance a great deal less :) Best wishes to you, as always - Joel
What paint is best to use that's not going to be off putting it harmful? Thank you for these videos. I love them and I'm trying to add as much as I can to my small garden
Do these boxes surface for a new timber frame house that requires bat box’s? Natural cedar clad so thinking of making cedar boxes. I take it a larger opening for long ear brown bats?
I live in Manchester, a newly built house with the southern wall facing the garden. If I build a few bat houses, will they even find them? I have two bats flying around the neighborhood
Haha - there's always a video somewhere on the channel, I still have circa 50 videos to upload yet! Just need to find the time :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Wow wow wow! You must get some video footage of them if you are able, and upload to your channel - I would love to see this - hopefully "your" bats come out early evening when it is still light enough to capture them on film :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
@@gardeninside1367 Not to worry :) Same here, I have some footage in the twilight but it is not too clear, the pipistrelle bats here are quite small :) I hope you are keeping well - best wishes, Joel
A quick question. I understand the reason for the grab lines, but how do they hang on smooth wood inside? I have bats living in my roof space. I lost count after 100. 🙂👍
Hi Pat :) After *one hundred* - you're obviously doing something right, that's so great to hear :) I sometimes put the extra grab lines inside the box but one doesn't seem to be preferable over another, I do wonder if that's because when they utilise peeling bark from old trees the trunk is often smooth on one side where the bark has peeled - these are pretty snug gaps when they do get inside so I think they "wedge" themselves, I've seen bats in some incredibly tight spaces before :) Best wishes, Joel
I remember about 4 years ago up in our farmyard shed there used to be hundreds of them in there and honestly it was terrifying to go in there but there’s not many in there now the population is about the same as there is still a lot of them flying in the evening but there very difficult to spot when there sleeping
Wow, wish I could have seen that farmyard shed Sean! But yes, probably unnerving seeing them in their hundreds - there used to be an old wive's tale that they could get caught in your hair and you'd have to have your head shaved! ;)
So far I have watched all the bird box videos and this one now to. In our previous apartment we lived near a big field with trees and a canal. In the summer months we loved to watch and hear the bats hunt on the open field with it's sonar noises. I miss them having around. Our back garden is east-south-east facing, but the house still gets pretty warm. And the front garden is north-west-north facing. Would a bat box still work if I would angle them towards the south and west?
💕🌿🕊️💗 So awesome I love bat's, I'm building a raised bed atm but this is definitely on my to do list. Scrap wood project 😉🌿 Thank you for spreading awareness and for such a great video🍃
Hello you! Hope you are doing well, and you know already you will be rewarded for your efforts in thinking about all the creatures in need right now - stay safe and well :) Joel
Can you put them on a sturdy pole? We've got an easy facing garden with a extension imminent which will mean only West or north facing walls. Already got a bat box, just want to optimise the location!
Hello - west may work, as long as they get a few hours sun a day it should be fine, I haven't seen them erected on poles, they do use old trees with cavities and peeling bark etc - a clear flight path and some warmth seem to be all that is required, they use tree lines and hedgerows for navigation, hence the suggestion that these are up near eaves, they tend to find the boxes easier that way. Sorry I couldn't be of more help re the pole but I hope it helps a little :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton no problem, West facing it is. It will get the afternoon sun that would be good. Better than it being sat in the workshop! The wildlife pond is nearly two months old now and insect life is building up so it's about time to get the box up ;)
2:15 I think that’s the pekapeka (New Zealand long and short tailed bats) you have depicted there. I think bcuz it’s very small and the wings are folded. The conservation status of the long tailed bat is ‘nationally critical’ and short tailed bat subspecies range from ‘nationally vulnerable’ to ‘recovering’. In Māori mythology pekapeka were associated with hokioi (haast’s eagle) the largest bird of prey on earth that used to prey on moa before their recent ish extinctions. The legendary man Ueoneone from the Ngāpuhi tribe is said to have had one as a pet and they say he rode it
Wow, thanks so much - really good to read this and very interesting. Great folklore and easily imaginable with that epic scenery you have. Best wishes, Joel
Hey cool design. I might make a one of these for the bats around here in Northern Kentucky. The big brown bat is a bit larger and likes to live in big colonies. Thinking of taking this design and building one about the size of a standard shipping pallet and six chambers with four two inch passage holes per internal panel so they can move to a different chamber if they get a little too hot or too cool. Each inside panel and landing board will have grooves on both sides cut by a angle grinder. Also planning on adding a one inch spaced roosting panel with the sides open to the back which will be a cool off roosting area accessible through six two inch holes in the back of the house and will also serve as the mount. Oh hey did the neighborhood bats fill those bat houses you built??
Hi Shawn - so sorry for the delay in responding, I don't seem to be getting all the notifications re the comments - this sounds fantastic though and you will no doubt be rewarded with visitors. The clients have said that they have seen bats around, they're not too sure yet whether the roosts are being utilised but I am sure it won't be long! Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton if the clients see black mess under where the house or houses are then they have occupancy the droppings will be about half inch long. A currently used bat house most likely will be stained by their urine. Don't worry though. It's how they mark their sent in it and find it after hibernation if they don't stay there during winter. They might stay if the winter is mild.
Hi. You can still build on a slope, providing the slope isn’t too steep. It would mean digging into the slope on the top level and building up the ground on the lower level with the excavated soil if that makes sense? Hope that helps and here if you have any more questions 😊👍
Hi there - outbuildings are fine and will be appreciated, the gaps are designed for some of our bats here in the UK, but if you research according to which bats may be in your area then you can find measurements, but these should be ok. Hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
Love your videos. Just wondering, have you posted the final reveal of this London garden makeover? I've been looking for part 3, but can't seem to find it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and projects with us. So inspiring and educational!
Hi there Charlene - thanks so much for your kind words, much appreciated. Unfortunately, no, what with work at the moment and the effort/time it takes to edit these videos I've not quite managed it. I plan to visit the client again in Spring to show the garden in it's full glory, I did plan to go last year but the clients were on holiday when I was in the area so it never happened. However, I'll probably do a complete video from beginning to end of course so that it's all in one place - not long to wait! If you wanted to subscribe to the channel then of course you'll be alerted once it's up - thanks again and best wishes - Joel
Brilliant video, I’m here in Southern Ireland and I think the bats are quite big here is the 16mm battern still big enough? I watched a bat early hours of this morning diving up the gable end of my cottage but there is no space so need to make some asap. Thank you ps I have loads of moths and I’m making a big wildlife pond.
Hello :) I think it should be fine, as long as they are protected from strong winds and have a few hours sun per day it should be ok - it can take several months for them to discover new boxes :) Best wishes, Joel
Absolutely you can - it's not about aesthetics as bats traditionally would have nested in gaps in old houses etc, as long as it's not been treated and if has sufficient gap when assembled etc it should be fine. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Great video. I didn't see any bat box kits available on your website. Would you consider selling the precut wood pieces in a kit (for those of us who are not mechanically inclined)?
Hi Joanne - if I had the time to make these myself and sell them then I would do, it's just that I have so many back-to-back projects at the moment, and what with RUclips as well I don't have sufficient time left. I may well make time later in the year though :) Thank you - best wishes, Joel
They seem to cope well, as long as they get a good purchase on the entry part they seem to fill out the gap and use that to keep themselves secure - I have made the boxes with the internal parts scored as well but they don't seem to do that much better than those with just the outside scored, I think it might be our preference rather than theirs - they do like peeling bark on trees and will often snuggle up inside them, one side of the bark being smooth of course where the bark has peeled away :) Let me know how you get on - best wishes, Joel
Fab!!! Love watching our bats at dusk. Sadly they fly into our neighbours bedroom window & their cat has had a few 😢 not sure where they are nesting ( maybe under neighbours eves) so if we build some box’s for them, would they move house? We are across the lane but they fly around our garden . Thank you Joel 🦇🙏
Cats... :/ my neighbour's prolific killer is the same I fear, although more of birds and I keep seeing it lurking near the pond edges, bought as a kitten but more or less lives outside now. On a brighter note, I am pretty sure they would be grateful for additional habitat and would find the boxes in no time :) Let me know if it works, I'm sure they will be there soon - best wishes, Joel
Hey! I don’t know if u have ever talked about this on your channel, but i would love to know What’s your opinion on natural pools? Can they have a similar benefits for the wildlife as well as beeing a place for swimming in your garden? :) great vids!
Hi there - sorry for delay. I absolutely like natural pools, it does depend on how much wildlife you want to attract and that's down to the planting, however built right they can be very rewarding for both wildlife and humans alike, and much easier on the eye than the standard swimming pool set up - many owners of these swimming pools find unfortunate creatures that have found their way in, but are unable to find their way out sadly. If you have the space, I would definitely recommend one :) Thank you for your encouragement, it's appreciated - best wishes, Joel
They're on the list ;) It's a rather busy time of year for me at the moment but I plan to do these and many other boxes - thanks for your support, it's appreciated - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I already sit in my conservatory in the evenings and watch the pipistrelle bats feeding overhead. The trees are nearest to the pond, which is why I need the canopy lifting, but will hopefully prove to be desirable abode's!
I've thought about putting a few of these out, as i hear they help a lot with bugs (particularly mosquitoes). Does anybody have any experience with this? We're there any noticeable differences in your mosquito population?
I had NO idea just how small Pipistrelle Bats are!!😲 There's a river across the lane from us and when I stand out there in the late evening I occasionally see a bat picking off insects hovering above the water. I'm only just able to watch it long enough to know that it's definitely a bat lol but I'm not sure what kind. It could be a Pipistrelle but it looks to be about the size of a Blackbird fledgling so perhaps too big? Either way, we still have Bats in the neighbourhood!!😁🦇 I only have Southeast and Northwest facing apexes as the highest points on my house. Do you think it would still be useful and warm enough for Bats if I put up some boxes?
Hello there :) I'd suggest southeast out of the two "Wren", as long as they have a few hours sun on the box it should do fine, let me know! Re the Pipistrelle, they really are tiny - probably the reason they're called flying-mice in Germany I think, even for their size they're known to take around 3000 insects EACH per night, pretty amazing - but judging by your description of the size of your visitor/s I'd suggest this may be a Noctule - you may have to adjust the size of the batbox you make of course ;) Best wishes to you, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi! Haha flying mice! I'm just picturing Mice with wings now😆 A Noctule you say? I'm on the research for bats in our area, turf wars if any and what size boxes to put up, proximities etc👍🏼 Cheers! Both ends of the house pretty much get an equal amount of sun each day. I'll put up a box on each side and see which one, if any, gets occupied. It can't hurt🤞🏼 Thanks for the info and wonderful video!🦇💚 Don't forget to eat - I hear mealworms are on the menu for European humans now😆🙄
@@wren5291 Gulp, re the mealworms! Think I'll save those for the Robin ;) So glad you are putting in the research, knowledge is power as they say :) I am sure I learned pretty early on about Johann Strauss and his Die Fledermaus overture - I'd not really thought about it again until just now - the piece really does allow you to imagine their flight, I am pretty sure you will recognise it: ruclips.net/video/QROR4LioU-8/видео.html Let me know how you do with the boxes and when you next see them flying I know you'll think of this overture too :) Aren't we just *so* cultured on this channel! haha - Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Indeed, knowledge is power. And we must do good with it, for the betterment of all. Re the worms - the European Parliament passed them as a viable human food source😆 I could speculate on it for days as to why. I haven't heard this in ages! A classic, one of my favourites and very apt for Batty behaviour😄 I will indeed update you on the boxes👌🏼
Thank you Sir. I make Bluebird Nesting Boxes in Fernandina Beach Florida. I've distributed many many many of them, mine are made of rough cut cedar. This year I started installing a HEART SHAPED PREDITOR GUARD. I'm definitely going to start making some. Thanks I like your simple design. TED RICHARDSON
Nice project. One observation, if I may . . . Bats poo and pee, just like any animal, and they do this when they are roosting, so once the boxes are in use there will be small piles of bat poo underneath them. Be prepared for some daily maintenance sweeping it up and put it in a plastic bag before binning it. It’s a small task but still it has to be done. Do it carefully, as bat poo and pee can, in rare cases, be harmful to humans - so do the job regularly and always wear gloves and you should be fine.
Hi, thanks for the fantastic video. I have used your pattern and have made some great boxes from clean pallet wood. One comment though is that you have a great voice and in my opinion it would suffice as far as sound is needed. No disrespect to any musicians but that repeated little tune gets old really quickly .
I’m a bit confused because at the beginning of the video you say they need a clear entryway to enter the box, but then you suggest putting it up in a tree, where there will be branches and leaves etc., in the way. 🤷🏻♀️
Hi Madeleine, when I say tree I mean on the trunk of course and it would have to be a relatively mature tree to allow for the 3 metre minimum height for the box - this also means that the leaf canopy etc is at the end of the branches and not against the trunk - the most important thing is to NOT use pressurised or treated timber - in the wild they will use mature trees with splits, ivy cover etc for roosting :) Best wishes, Joel
You need 12 ft of clearance. Trees are not preferred as other predators like squirrels will get to the bats. There should be a 12 foot clearing downward at minimum. In case they fall they have a clearing to fly.
Hey Scott, the clients had seen bats in the early evenings so that's why the boxes went up. A few months later they reported that the boxes were certainly being investigated as they saw them around them and they were convinced about 8 months in that they were being used. I really need to get back to this garden for a complete update on it but working all over the country means it's difficult to be back in a certain area - it's on my list though :) Best wishes, Joel
Absolutely I have, to the point I own two - however I'm well aware that not all people will have the need to buy one and it be cost-effective for small home projects, which is why I used the resources I did :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton i stay in a place called cumbernauld build in the 60s. Iv never came across anywhere like it. It was designed so all the traffic was above ground we have no pavements when you want to get from a to b you have to walk underpaths full of wild life and scenery. Unfortunately the deer haven't grasped it yet and run on the roads. Amazing place I'll never leave it.
@@heatherbruce4496 Wow, I just had a quick google so I could imagine it and found this - you might find it interesting! ruclips.net/video/ty6hKOYCDs0/видео.html Guessing it doesn't still look like this. Amazing what you learn by chance :) Best wishes Heather, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton hehehe that video was so old. The town centre is just as ugly we get the carbuncle award every year.but all the greenery it so full of trees and wild life. I have a loch 10 minutes from my house in one direction and a nature reserve pond 10 minutes the other way. I was feeding deer 🦌 from my back fence today. Thanks for taking an interest 😊
We are having problems with bats attacking and killing our chicken at night. They leave a vast trail of blood on the ground. I got its attack on video. We are leaving lights on, so that they would choose to leave. They are cute, but I choose my chickens 😢
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for advocating for the little floofy guys, Joel. They need all the help they can get.
Absolutely agreed Jerry - I do wonder how many people miss these guys just as dusk falls, purely by not looking up now and again, I love seeing them making the most of my garden, the shrubs and pond attracting all kinds of insects. I guess it's like moths really, butterflies get a lot more press and attention ;) Best wishes to you - Joel
💗 I have bats at my house in France...they live behind the shutters and in the barns and are a godsend for munching on all the mosquitoes that like munching on us! We sit out at dusk...wine in hand...to watch them all come out of their roosts and start their hunting for the night. The ‘talking’ noise they make when they wake up/go to bed is wonderful. Had them for years flying around our UK house, but haven’t seen any over the past couple of years 😞
So good to hear Lucy! People always question the wildlife ponds, asking how the mosquitoes are addressed, we don't have to do a thing due to the bats, birds, larger insects, amphibians that are attracted to it - they take care of it all from larvae to adult mosquito. So much habitat for bats, needless to say, has been lost in the UK due to the new fascia boards etc, no gaps in any roofs - these boxes are so important for them - so glad you have them in France, I've not been to my place in Ambrieres for over a year now due to lockdown etc and I'm missing it so much! Best wishes, Joel
Well hopefully not too long before we can both be enjoying French sunshine, wine, cheese & wildlife....I just hope the boar have left a little bit of my garden intact 🤪
I just finished working on a public volunteer project making four chamber nursery bat houses which can house hundreds of bats each. If you're using commercially made smooth lumber you need to make grooves all the way inside the roosting areas too. The bats will thank you!
Saw our first bat this year in the garden. Love watching them.
Me too :) I have bats already, but just seeing them as dusk falls is pretty amazing - I think you might find there are more than one and the more insects you make habitat for, the more they will visit :) Best wishes Helen, Joel
This will become very useful as we have 3 bats that fly round our house and we were looking to make bat boxes for them to roost in. Thank-you.
So glad it will be of help, so simple to make and so many more are needed - sometimes bats and moths are forgotten when we are planning gardens with nature in mind :) Best wishes to you and thank you again for your support - Joel
Brilliant to see Joel 👌🏻
Grandchildren are coming.
They want to help me knock up a hedgehog house, bird boxes, bug hotel and will add this to their project list😉
Hi George - you'll have your hands full this week then! Hope the weather holds out for you, unless you have a "grandad shed" (such fond memories of those!) of course. Let me know how you get on, I would like to see photos of course! I'm just about to leave site as we've been rained off (and on, and off again!) so I'm going back to the office to catch up on admin AND your email!! ;) Best wishes to you and the grandchildren - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel
Family are coming this Friday from Jersey
It’s been 18 months since we’ve seen them. Hopefully the weather will be better from Friday onwards.
Unfortunately shed and garage are packed from house move 19 years ago 🥴
@@george-1961 Packaged shed and garage... that sounds familiar! haha - my empathies! How fantastic that you finally get to see your legacies again and you'll be sharing important info with them :) Best of luck, let me know how you all get on - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you Joel. Definitely will let you know how we get on 👍🏻
Hi just a query, do you not need ridges for the bats to us to climb up & roost on, lots of other boxes have them thanks
As ever Joe your videos and knowledge superb 👌
Thank you Peter, that's very kind of you and really makes a difference to me, it's the encouragement I receive from others that keeps me going and knowing that these videos are providing further homes/habitat/food for many creatures in need makes the efforts all worthwhile :) Best wishes to you, Joel
I love bats, beautiful misunderstood creatures. Their little faces and hands... Would love to see more footage of any that come into the nests. Great job Joel, love your channel.
Hi Jo :) Yes, absolutely, very misunderstood and although Vampire Bats in South American countries were named this *before* Bramstoker came up with Dracula, I think a lot of people only "see" bats as part of Halloween these days! I remember reading that bat droppings (due to their high nitrogen content) were the biggest export product of Texas, way before oil :) One of the client's friends asked me to make a bat box for their father as a gift too, so there are several that I'll be awaiting news on re habitation - I have got a fair bit of footage of the bats in my own garden but it's so difficult to film at dusk, although I will keep trying :) Thanks so much for the kind comment, it is appreciated - best wishes, Joel
Very daring, filming from the top of a ladder, they look very good fixed up under the eaves, lets hope they attract plenty of Bats, most of ours crawl into the gaps in the stone walls of the barns, I think there are cavities inside, but there are plenty more in the loft space, and in the summer when the windows are open they fly around in the house, I am surprised at how light in can be and still see them flying around, I can watch them dropping out of the joints of the barn when it is still quite light, as a further observation I see Kestrels flying a long time after sunset when it is dark? Stay safe! Chris B.
Hey Chris :) Same here, just before dusk there are at least eight we count dipping down towards the pond and around the tree and border edges. I have seen them at my place in France but of course not for over a year now due to pandemic etc! So wonderful to watch though :) Yep, up a ladder at that height is not my favourite place to be! ;) Best wishes, Joel
Big like nice sharing stay blessed healthy a day safed
Thank you! I learned the meaning of "Ashoka" tree from your video this morning - best wishes to you and your family, as always :) Joel
Great tutorial Joel and so easy to make. Definitely will be making some of these 👍
Thank you very much :) I am so glad that there will be more of these houses, they're very much in need - our modern house building, lack of natural habitat is already affecting numbers and yet these little creatures do us so many favours re insects and particularly mosquito control at dusk :) Let me know when you get some visitors - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I will Joel and thanks again. It's easy for people to overlook the need to protect and help our natural wildlife.
Hedgehog boxes and hedgehog doors in fences are another important thing that people can do to help our wildlife.
Superb I love how easy this is to follow thankyou
You're very welcome Trevor :) Thanks for taking the time to leave such a kind comment, I really appreciate it. Thanks for making another much needed habitat - best wishes to you and yours, Joel
Thanks Joel. We have bats in the house we are moving to, so might make some of these for the trees in the garden. Great work, well done.
Thanks so much and thank you for making a home for these wonderful creatures 👍
Excellent video,, I didn’t know about not using pressure treated timber (had some put aside for this, which will now be used for bird boxes).
Thank you Mark, appreciated :) Yes, pressure treated and chemically treated boxes are a no-no as these can be extremely harmful to bats, I don't think that many people know this and some market-available ones do include pressure treated wood unfortunately - the wood will be absolutely fine for bird boxes and there are many exterior "egg-shell" water based paints that can provide sufficient protection to give these boxes a longer life. Bird boxes don't need painting, they can be of course, but I remember reading via the RSPB a few years ago that magpies and other predatory birds have got used to seeing these "elaborate" boxes (usually painted to look like cottages or caravans etc!) and know immediately they have young inside - best wishes to you - Joel
Lucky bats! Nice one, Joel.
Thank you Mark, so much :) I do hope you're doing well - wish this weather would improve! Best wishes, as always - Joel
Lovely easy to make batbox. Can I use an exterior waterproof glue to fill in any gaps in the wood that might let in water ?
Hi John, absolutely you can, although I would recommend a glue like Eco-Bond Pet Safe or similar, this is safe for bird-boxes too. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks a bundle. I was concerned as iI know that some, if not all, bats and birds are susceptible to some paints and glues. A near neighbour has recently discovered bats in his attic and is thrilled.
@@johnlewis9745 Hey John, you're very welcome and it's great to know that you were considering this, most wouldn't! Great news for the neighbours and I'm sure they'll utilise your box/boxes too - brilliant :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton He’s also got peregrine falcons coming to his garden. Nobody believed it, at first, so he made a video and sent it to an ornithological group who agreed they were peregrines. Nobody else nearby has either bats or peregrines.
@@johnlewis9745 Oh wow. One of my favourite birds and how incredible! I saw one only two days ago up in Lincolnshire, it spotted a starling and was incredibly quick at turning, missed the starling (lucky for that bird) but they are amazing. That's a garden check list bird for sure! Great to hear this :)
How do they cling on inside without any ridges to hold on to?
Nice design but I’d have thought providing grooves inside would have been better so they can grip comfortably. I’d love to see these on more houses. I’m going to give it a go.
Great help planning to get s few up on our allotment
Thanks very much for the instructions, soo easy to make. Just a suggestion in regards to preserving the wood; use raw linseed oil instead of paint to avoid any possibility of contamination via old oil based paints. Three new bat houses on the way!
Hi Don, thank you for this, it's a very good point - the client wanted to paint these boxes but we ensured that they were painted with water-based eggshell, but for a more natural look then linseed oil definitely - well done on the 3 new houses, the arrival of the bats will be reward in itself. Best wishes to you and yours for 2023 - Joel
Excellent Joel such easy instructions to follow. Next project for us 😁
Thank you Tracey, very much - I hope you and yours are well, the weather this way hasn't been too good the last few weeks but thankfully the colder weather has held back a few plants that would normally have their blossoms/flowers destroyed by the winds this time of year :) Let me know how you get on with the bat boxes - best wishes, as always - Joel
how easy is that ...seen the prices in shops ect ... no excuses i must make some...thanks for this joel .. ill try to get my next door interested both sides .. already got them turning there gardens wildlife freindly after they took a look at mine ...hope your well mate 👍
Hello you! :) Great to hear from you, yep they're so simple to make and make such a difference, so many bats have been displaced and had a hard time since all the modern techniques/upvc fascia and the like, plus all the natural habitat loss, barns being converted into multi-million pound houses, the list goes on! ;) Brilliant re the neighbours, I am so sure we can make a bigger difference by proving that wild doesn't mean messy, the rewards are ten-fold and the maintenance a great deal less :) Best wishes to you, as always - Joel
What paint is best to use that's not going to be off putting it harmful? Thank you for these videos. I love them and I'm trying to add as much as I can to my small garden
Do these boxes surface for a new timber frame house that requires bat box’s? Natural cedar clad so thinking of making cedar boxes. I take it a larger opening for long ear brown bats?
I live in Manchester, a newly built house with the southern wall facing the garden. If I build a few bat houses, will they even find them? I have two bats flying around the neighborhood
Just typed a reaction to the Wildlife Garden Project if they could make an update, with you. Then I "find" this video. 👍
Haha - there's always a video somewhere on the channel, I still have circa 50 videos to upload yet! Just need to find the time :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Amazing
Thank you so very much :) Best wishes, Joel
5:45 saw hack 😳 I never knew that!
Saw hack! Haha, love that terminology - two tools in one? Or three? Stay safe and well - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Will do 😊 take it easy on yourself over there don't over work yourself 🕊
A guava tree in my garden and i see some of bats fly around on there in evening,
They like to eat ripe guava! I love to watch them!!!😊😊🦇🦇
Wow wow wow! You must get some video footage of them if you are able, and upload to your channel - I would love to see this - hopefully "your" bats come out early evening when it is still light enough to capture them on film :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton sorry joel , it's very difficult to film in evening because there are very small amount of light!😥😥🌼🌼
@@gardeninside1367 Not to worry :) Same here, I have some footage in the twilight but it is not too clear, the pipistrelle bats here are quite small :) I hope you are keeping well - best wishes, Joel
A quick question. I understand the reason for the grab lines, but how do they hang on smooth wood inside? I have bats living in my roof space. I lost count after 100. 🙂👍
Hi Pat :) After *one hundred* - you're obviously doing something right, that's so great to hear :) I sometimes put the extra grab lines inside the box but one doesn't seem to be preferable over another, I do wonder if that's because when they utilise peeling bark from old trees the trunk is often smooth on one side where the bark has peeled - these are pretty snug gaps when they do get inside so I think they "wedge" themselves, I've seen bats in some incredibly tight spaces before :) Best wishes, Joel
I remember about 4 years ago up in our farmyard shed there used to be hundreds of them in there and honestly it was terrifying to go in there but there’s not many in there now the population is about the same as there is still a lot of them flying in the evening but there very difficult to spot when there sleeping
Wow, wish I could have seen that farmyard shed Sean! But yes, probably unnerving seeing them in their hundreds - there used to be an old wive's tale that they could get caught in your hair and you'd have to have your head shaved! ;)
So far I have watched all the bird box videos and this one now to. In our previous apartment we lived near a big field with trees and a canal. In the summer months we loved to watch and hear the bats hunt on the open field with it's sonar noises. I miss them having around. Our back garden is east-south-east facing, but the house still gets pretty warm. And the front garden is north-west-north facing. Would a bat box still work if I would angle them towards the south and west?
Doesnt the wood inside need grooves cut In it for the bats to cling on to?
💕🌿🕊️💗 So awesome I love bat's, I'm building a raised bed atm but this is definitely on my to do list. Scrap wood project 😉🌿 Thank you for spreading awareness and for such a great video🍃
Hello you! Hope you are doing well, and you know already you will be rewarded for your efforts in thinking about all the creatures in need right now - stay safe and well :) Joel
Can you put them on a sturdy pole? We've got an easy facing garden with a extension imminent which will mean only West or north facing walls. Already got a bat box, just want to optimise the location!
Hello - west may work, as long as they get a few hours sun a day it should be fine, I haven't seen them erected on poles, they do use old trees with cavities and peeling bark etc - a clear flight path and some warmth seem to be all that is required, they use tree lines and hedgerows for navigation, hence the suggestion that these are up near eaves, they tend to find the boxes easier that way. Sorry I couldn't be of more help re the pole but I hope it helps a little :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton no problem, West facing it is. It will get the afternoon sun that would be good. Better than it being sat in the workshop! The wildlife pond is nearly two months old now and insect life is building up so it's about time to get the box up ;)
2:15 I think that’s the pekapeka (New Zealand long and short tailed bats) you have depicted there. I think bcuz it’s very small and the wings are folded. The conservation status of the long tailed bat is ‘nationally critical’ and short tailed bat subspecies range from ‘nationally vulnerable’ to ‘recovering’. In Māori mythology pekapeka were associated with hokioi (haast’s eagle) the largest bird of prey on earth that used to prey on moa before their recent ish extinctions. The legendary man Ueoneone from the Ngāpuhi tribe is said to have had one as a pet and they say he rode it
Wow, thanks so much - really good to read this and very interesting. Great folklore and easily imaginable with that epic scenery you have. Best wishes, Joel
Hey cool design. I might make a one of these for the bats around here in Northern Kentucky. The big brown bat is a bit larger and likes to live in big colonies. Thinking of taking this design and building one about the size of a standard shipping pallet and six chambers with four two inch passage holes per internal panel so they can move to a different chamber if they get a little too hot or too cool. Each inside panel and landing board will have grooves on both sides cut by a angle grinder. Also planning on adding a one inch spaced roosting panel with the sides open to the back which will be a cool off roosting area accessible through six two inch holes in the back of the house and will also serve as the mount. Oh hey did the neighborhood bats fill those bat houses you built??
Hi Shawn - so sorry for the delay in responding, I don't seem to be getting all the notifications re the comments - this sounds fantastic though and you will no doubt be rewarded with visitors. The clients have said that they have seen bats around, they're not too sure yet whether the roosts are being utilised but I am sure it won't be long! Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton if the clients see black mess under where the house or houses are then they have occupancy the droppings will be about half inch long. A currently used bat house most likely will be stained by their urine. Don't worry though. It's how they mark their sent in it and find it after hibernation if they don't stay there during winter. They might stay if the winter is mild.
Joel, I want to build a wildlife pond, for the bats, but the garden is on a bit of a slope, any ideas? Cheers.
Hi. You can still build on a slope, providing the slope isn’t too steep. It would mean digging into the slope on the top level and building up the ground on the lower level with the excavated soil if that makes sense? Hope that helps and here if you have any more questions 😊👍
I dont have any suitable trees in the back so i will put them on my outbuilding, are the gaps not really small???
Ps i have planted a whole bunch and installed lots of hedging and plants as the previous owner just had a plain grass garden with nothing else!
Hi there - outbuildings are fine and will be appreciated, the gaps are designed for some of our bats here in the UK, but if you research according to which bats may be in your area then you can find measurements, but these should be ok. Hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
Great work, you will be rewarded for your efforts!
Love your videos. Just wondering, have you posted the final reveal of this London garden makeover? I've been looking for part 3, but can't seem to find it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and projects with us. So inspiring and educational!
Hi there Charlene - thanks so much for your kind words, much appreciated. Unfortunately, no, what with work at the moment and the effort/time it takes to edit these videos I've not quite managed it. I plan to visit the client again in Spring to show the garden in it's full glory, I did plan to go last year but the clients were on holiday when I was in the area so it never happened. However, I'll probably do a complete video from beginning to end of course so that it's all in one place - not long to wait! If you wanted to subscribe to the channel then of course you'll be alerted once it's up - thanks again and best wishes - Joel
Thank you for helping bats. Could you please give me all the dimensions in inches please?
Brilliant video, I’m here in Southern Ireland and I think the bats are quite big here is the 16mm battern still big enough? I watched a bat early hours of this morning diving up the gable end of my cottage but there is no space so need to make some asap. Thank you ps I have loads of moths and I’m making a big wildlife pond.
Does the box have to be under an eave? South facing for me is a gable end, is this going to be too exposed?
Hello :) I think it should be fine, as long as they are protected from strong winds and have a few hours sun per day it should be ok - it can take several months for them to discover new boxes :) Best wishes, Joel
Really Good. 👌
Thanks Tony :) Appreciated! Best wishes, Joel
Can you use an old scaffolding plank to make a bat box
Absolutely you can - it's not about aesthetics as bats traditionally would have nested in gaps in old houses etc, as long as it's not been treated and if has sufficient gap when assembled etc it should be fine. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Great video. I didn't see any bat box kits available on your website. Would you consider selling the precut wood pieces in a kit (for those of us who are not mechanically inclined)?
Hi Joanne - if I had the time to make these myself and sell them then I would do, it's just that I have so many back-to-back projects at the moment, and what with RUclips as well I don't have sufficient time left. I may well make time later in the year though :) Thank you - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you. I fully understand.
how many bats will that box hold please. Thank you.
Maybe as many as 8-10 😊👍
Hi Joel, would it be ok to site the Bat box on an east facing wall ?
Hi there - as long as it's got a clear flight-path, east will be fine :) Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton many thanks for your advice Joel.
I’m going to get some bat boxes when I get my own home. Love these. How do the bats hang inside Joel?
They seem to cope well, as long as they get a good purchase on the entry part they seem to fill out the gap and use that to keep themselves secure - I have made the boxes with the internal parts scored as well but they don't seem to do that much better than those with just the outside scored, I think it might be our preference rather than theirs - they do like peeling bark on trees and will often snuggle up inside them, one side of the bark being smooth of course where the bark has peeled away :) Let me know how you get on - best wishes, Joel
Fab!!! Love watching our bats at dusk. Sadly they fly into our neighbours bedroom window & their cat has had a few 😢 not sure where they are nesting ( maybe under neighbours eves) so if we build some box’s for them, would they move house? We are across the lane but they fly around our garden .
Thank you Joel 🦇🙏
Cats... :/ my neighbour's prolific killer is the same I fear, although more of birds and I keep seeing it lurking near the pond edges, bought as a kitten but more or less lives outside now. On a brighter note, I am pretty sure they would be grateful for additional habitat and would find the boxes in no time :) Let me know if it works, I'm sure they will be there soon - best wishes, Joel
Wild Your Garden with Joel Ashton great, will do that & keep fingers crossed they move across the road 🤞 thank you
South or West? Or anything in-between?
Nice ,Good info Thanks
Great video😄👍
Thank you so much - really appreciate your comment :) Best wishes to you and yours - Joel
Hey! I don’t know if u have ever talked about this on your channel, but i would love to know What’s your opinion on natural pools? Can they have a similar benefits for the wildlife as well as beeing a place for swimming in your garden? :) great vids!
Hi there - sorry for delay. I absolutely like natural pools, it does depend on how much wildlife you want to attract and that's down to the planting, however built right they can be very rewarding for both wildlife and humans alike, and much easier on the eye than the standard swimming pool set up - many owners of these swimming pools find unfortunate creatures that have found their way in, but are unable to find their way out sadly. If you have the space, I would definitely recommend one :) Thank you for your encouragement, it's appreciated - best wishes, Joel
I agree with Brian, the grooves need to be all the way up to the roof, otherwise the bats have nothing to cling onto once inside
Whos Brian? Van you clarify what you mean by this. I want to make one but want it to be useful. Or Joel,... do you have an opinion?
Great video :)
Thank you very much - I hope it was helpful and that it encourages more habitats like this to be made - bats need our help a lot :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton extremely helpful! Your next video should be owl boxes!!
They're on the list ;) It's a rather busy time of year for me at the moment but I plan to do these and many other boxes - thanks for your support, it's appreciated - best wishes, Joel
I see that you grooved the landing area but didn't groove the interior of the house. Any reason why?
I have two to install once my tree surgeon lifts the canopy on my trees 😊
Can't wait to find out when you get guests! It shouldn't be too long, they're so fascinating to watch and of course will be drawn by your pond too :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I already sit in my conservatory in the evenings and watch the pipistrelle bats feeding overhead. The trees are nearest to the pond, which is why I need the canopy lifting, but will hopefully prove to be desirable abode's!
@@dogproofwildlifegardening3164 Roll on summer eh? I get a feeling you'll be having the most enjoyable evenings then... :)
I've thought about putting a few of these out, as i hear they help a lot with bugs (particularly mosquitoes). Does anybody have any experience with this? We're there any noticeable differences in your mosquito population?
I had NO idea just how small Pipistrelle Bats are!!😲 There's a river across the lane from us and when I stand out there in the late evening I occasionally see a bat picking off insects hovering above the water. I'm only just able to watch it long enough to know that it's definitely a bat lol but I'm not sure what kind. It could be a Pipistrelle but it looks to be about the size of a Blackbird fledgling so perhaps too big? Either way, we still have Bats in the neighbourhood!!😁🦇
I only have Southeast and Northwest facing apexes as the highest points on my house. Do you think it would still be useful and warm enough for Bats if I put up some boxes?
Hello there :) I'd suggest southeast out of the two "Wren", as long as they have a few hours sun on the box it should do fine, let me know! Re the Pipistrelle, they really are tiny - probably the reason they're called flying-mice in Germany I think, even for their size they're known to take around 3000 insects EACH per night, pretty amazing - but judging by your description of the size of your visitor/s I'd suggest this may be a Noctule - you may have to adjust the size of the batbox you make of course ;) Best wishes to you, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi! Haha flying mice! I'm just picturing Mice with wings now😆 A Noctule you say? I'm on the research for bats in our area, turf wars if any and what size boxes to put up, proximities etc👍🏼 Cheers! Both ends of the house pretty much get an equal amount of sun each day. I'll put up a box on each side and see which one, if any, gets occupied. It can't hurt🤞🏼 Thanks for the info and wonderful video!🦇💚 Don't forget to eat - I hear mealworms are on the menu for European humans now😆🙄
@@wren5291 Gulp, re the mealworms! Think I'll save those for the Robin ;) So glad you are putting in the research, knowledge is power as they say :) I am sure I learned pretty early on about Johann Strauss and his Die Fledermaus overture - I'd not really thought about it again until just now - the piece really does allow you to imagine their flight, I am pretty sure you will recognise it:
ruclips.net/video/QROR4LioU-8/видео.html
Let me know how you do with the boxes and when you next see them flying I know you'll think of this overture too :) Aren't we just *so* cultured on this channel! haha - Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Indeed, knowledge is power. And we must do good with it, for the betterment of all. Re the worms - the European Parliament passed them as a viable human food source😆 I could speculate on it for days as to why. I haven't heard this in ages! A classic, one of my favourites and very apt for Batty behaviour😄 I will indeed update you on the boxes👌🏼
Will they keep the bats out of your house?
Is this type of bat box good for Canadian winters?
Hi - thanks for commenting. It should be good if you can get it in a sheltered location out of the wind?
Thank you Sir.
I make Bluebird Nesting Boxes in Fernandina Beach Florida.
I've distributed many many many of them, mine are made of rough cut cedar. This year I started installing a HEART SHAPED PREDITOR GUARD.
I'm definitely going to start making some. Thanks I like your simple design.
TED RICHARDSON
It's crazy that they can fit in that small of a hole
I think that every time I make one 😄
Nice project.
One observation, if I may . . .
Bats poo and pee, just like any animal, and they do this when they are roosting, so once the boxes are in use there will be small piles of bat poo underneath them. Be prepared for some daily maintenance sweeping it up and put it in a plastic bag before binning it. It’s a small task but still it has to be done. Do it carefully, as bat poo and pee can, in rare cases, be harmful to humans - so do the job regularly and always wear gloves and you should be fine.
Hi, thanks for the fantastic video. I have used your pattern and have made some great boxes from clean pallet wood. One comment though is that you have a great voice and in my opinion it would suffice as far as sound is needed. No disrespect to any musicians but that repeated little tune gets old really
quickly .
Surely the inside is too smooth for the bats to cling on to.
I’m a bit confused because at the beginning of the video you say they need a clear entryway to enter the box, but then you suggest putting it up in a tree, where there will be branches and leaves etc., in the way. 🤷🏻♀️
Hi Madeleine, when I say tree I mean on the trunk of course and it would have to be a relatively mature tree to allow for the 3 metre minimum height for the box - this also means that the leaf canopy etc is at the end of the branches and not against the trunk - the most important thing is to NOT use pressurised or treated timber - in the wild they will use mature trees with splits, ivy cover etc for roosting :) Best wishes, Joel
You need 12 ft of clearance. Trees are not preferred as other predators like squirrels will get to the bats. There should be a 12 foot clearing downward at minimum. In case they fall they have a clearing to fly.
Well it’s been 2 years…..have bats taken to the boxes as their homes?
Hey Scott, the clients had seen bats in the early evenings so that's why the boxes went up. A few months later they reported that the boxes were certainly being investigated as they saw them around them and they were convinced about 8 months in that they were being used. I really need to get back to this garden for a complete update on it but working all over the country means it's difficult to be back in a certain area - it's on my list though :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks for the update!
Have you ever heard of a brad nailer . . .
Absolutely I have, to the point I own two - however I'm well aware that not all people will have the need to buy one and it be cost-effective for small home projects, which is why I used the resources I did :)
Iv loads of bats in my area they have plenty of trees 🌳
They're a joy to watch aren't they :) So good to hear Heather - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton i stay in a place called cumbernauld build in the 60s. Iv never came across anywhere like it. It was designed so all the traffic was above ground we have no pavements when you want to get from a to b you have to walk underpaths full of wild life and scenery. Unfortunately the deer haven't grasped it yet and run on the roads. Amazing place I'll never leave it.
@@heatherbruce4496 Wow, I just had a quick google so I could imagine it and found this - you might find it interesting!
ruclips.net/video/ty6hKOYCDs0/видео.html
Guessing it doesn't still look like this. Amazing what you learn by chance :) Best wishes Heather, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton hehehe that video was so old. The town centre is just as ugly we get the carbuncle award every year.but all the greenery it so full of trees and wild life. I have a loch 10 minutes from my house in one direction and a nature reserve pond 10 minutes the other way. I was feeding deer 🦌 from my back fence today. Thanks for taking an interest 😊
We are having problems with bats attacking and killing our chicken at night. They leave a vast trail of blood on the ground. I got its attack on video. We are leaving lights on, so that they would choose to leave. They are cute, but I choose my chickens 😢
Easier to just use a ruler and the point of screwdriver to scratch the wood
Not a lot of room in them
There is for the species of bat they're intended for 😀👍
Seems way to small..reading lots bat nesting box info.boards way too smooth inside.
Too small.
Omg are you instructing a 2 year old
How high do u have to hang them?