Bats live almost anywhere there is moderate climate and insects, including in urban areas. The key to helping bats find your BatBnB is in placement. Sunlight and height are the two most important factors. Each unit needs at least 6+ hours of direct sunlight each day, and they should be hung at least 12-20 feet high (the higher the better). Placing BatBnBs on the side of a house, barn, or shed is the best. Poles work too, but we don’t recommend mounting BatBnBs on trees because they often provide too much shade and easy perches for predators. If you do prefer to place it on a tree, make sure it is a sunny spot at least 15 feet from the nearest branch where predators can perch. Additionally, having a natural water source (pond, stream, brook, etc.) within a mile of your property is ideal, but not necessarily a deal breaker. Small things like having water features and night-blooming flowers can also help attract bats. Learn more about ideal placement in our hanging guide.

 

There’s no set formula for number of bat houses to acres. About 20% of BatBnB customers actually purchase two or more BatBnBs for their property because having more than one BatBnB actually increases occupation rates. The reason is fascinating. Without bat houses around, bats look to live in the crevice formed between the peeling bark on a dying tree, which is actually the environment that a BatBnB biomimics. Now if you are a mother bat with a pup and your preferred real estate is peeling bark, your number one concern is what to do if that bark peels off, leaving you and your pup exposed to predators. That’s why bats are actually smart enough to scout a location for multiple real estate options before they decide to settle there in the Spring. So therefore, with multiple BatBnBs, you’re more likely to attract more bats faster.