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forward/backward roost preference

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Terry Lobdell
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Joined:	Sun Jul 31st, 2005
Location:	Townville, Pennsylvania USA
Posts:	544
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Posted: Sun Jun 1st, 2008 03:51 am

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The last couple years for me has been a flurry of experimentation with different baffle surfaces and outside shell materials. In the past, I've always just roughened one side of a baffle (the side facing out) as I've read more than once that one rough side is sufficient.

However, I am just now observing that bat houses with an outer crevice with both sides roughened are being used by bats roosting backwards. I had never noticed it before, but on west orientations especially, they seem to like to cling directly to the outer shell which has been heated by the afternoon sun. I am observing this on osb, weathered plywood, rough sawn and scored one inch board surfaces. They may do this in east facing bat houses too but I rarely try to look up inside in the morning because it's just too hard to see.

Has anyone else observed the same thing? I'll try to get a picture on here soon!

Last edited on Sun Jun 1st, 2008 03:52 am by Terry Lobdell

IowaNate
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Joined:	Thu Nov 15th, 2007
Location:	Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA
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Posted: Sun Jun 1st, 2008 07:04 am

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I have observed this as well Terry, especially in my wrap-around design. I have always tried to make both surfaces of my baffles rough with the intentions of making as many different temperature gradients as possible. Since the belly of the bat comes in the most contact with the roosting surface, it would seem that they would absorb the most heat through there when the surface of the roosting chamber is much warmer then the ambient temperature in the morning.

cloudman75
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Joined:	Sun Mar 2nd, 2008
Location:	Lithia Springs, Georgia USA
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Posted: Fri Jun 6th, 2008 04:17 pm

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Terry,

I just read your post on direction of bats. My bat house faces north from necessity to keep the droppings off my sundeck. The back is due south and that is where the bats are in the early morning facing south. As they exit some come from the north chambers. They all turn north of course for the exit. I have scored both sides so they can choose. Also I felt scoring both sides of the baffle would help the pups hold on and not get knocked out of the house. My plan called for both sides to be scored which is a lot of work to me. I have my first bathouse up which I purchased from organization for bat conservation. I have seen them with their bellys on the west and also east. The bat house faces east with the back to the west. I think they turn during the day depending on the temperature. I cannot see into my bathouses after the sun comes up as it is too bright skyward.

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