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Maintenance Bats' fidelity to a roosting site is incredibly high. If bats do move into a bat house you put up, you'll need to monitor and safeguard the conditions of this house over the course of its occupancy. Be alert for possible predation and be ready to respond to any threats that arise. You should be prepared to seal cracks and remember that any upkeep should happen when the house is unoccupied —never disturb the bat house while it is occupied. Regularly check for damage or pest infestations (e.g., wasp nests). Do this during the winter, after bats have left. You can re -stain exteriors, re -seal seams, and remove debris such as wasp nests if needed. Install your bat house where and how it will be accessible for maintenance. Guano Don't place bat houses above your BBQ. Bats will drop guano from bat houses, and while small piles of guano on the ground won't hurt you, guano or any wildlife waste landing in your food is not safe or delicious. We recommend placing bat houses over your bat garden. Awe If bats do move into a bat house you place, you can catch glimpses of their nocturnal schedule, their flight antics, and their social nature, building your appreciation and respect for their incredible biology with firsthand observation. But if they take a long time to move in, remember that even if you don't have a bat house, simply stepping outside at dusk and looking up into the night sky might reward you with the sight of bats darting through the air in search of insects. It's important to keep bats healthy and safe when you offer them bat housing. Providing a bat house that meets their needs can support bats, but if you lure them into an unsafe situation, the bat house can end up being harmful. Instead, follow these guidelines. Six Safety principles Mark & Selena Kiser 1. Prevent bat houses from overheating To prevent potential overheating, consider using additional venting, thermally stable (high -density) materials, and shade structures (e.g., sunshades, awnings, or reflective covers). If overheating occurs, bats can avoid harm by moving to a cooler roost. One way to help bats do this is to connect sunny and shaded bat houses with an enclosed compartment where bats can crawl from one to the other (e.g., between back-to-back houses on a pole). Jonathan Alonzo 2. Protect bat houses from predation I Placing a bat house away from trees or hanging branches can keep predators like owls or raccoons from reaching bats. Usually, placing a house on a pole or the side of a house is the best way to ensure this protection. Predatory snakes can be an exception to the "poles are safe" rule, as snakes have been reported to climb up poles in some environments. We take tips from bird house guidelines that suggest using a baffle to reduce the chances of snakes climbing bat house poles.