What is it?
Bat boxes should be at least 4m off the ground and in a sunny spot, though bats have diverse tastes so some people put up a cluster of boxes facing different directions for the bats to choose from. They have a rough surfaced landing area or bat ladder at the bottom that bats land on before climbing up into the cavity provided by the boxed area above. This is different to bird boxes which tend to have a circular opening at the front or otherwise a ledge that the bird lands on and then drops through or over. You’ll notice sloping roofs on bat boxes, like bird boxes, to drain the rain off, but unlike bird boxes bat boxes are fairly flat when looked at front-on. This is because bats, unlike birds, don’t build nests. Instead, they crawl up inside the cavity and hang, huddled away from the cold and draughts.
What does it do?
Bat boxes are specially designed to provide roosting and breeding sites for bats, particularly if there aren’t enough natural holes or crevices in local trees and rocks.
Who benefits?
Several species of bats are able to live alongside us in towns and cities, with different bat boxes being suited to different species. Check the Bat Conservation Trust’s guide, linked below, for more specific information including as to which species you’re likely to see flying about where you live.
Find out more
- Bat Conservation Trust page on bat boxes
- The Kent Bat Group’s guide to making a ‘Kent Bat Box’
