Bats Love These PVC Houses

Bats Love These PVC Houses MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 26-6-17 Several years ago, Marvin Maberry built a few bat houses out of wood to place around his Daingerfield, Texas, home. He was hoping the bats would keep the local mosquito population down. "Wood houses worked fine but they dried out and cracked, causing drafts in the houses. Bats do not like drafts. We decided we'd look for something that would be longer lasting with less maintenance," says Maberry. He started using PVC pipe. "PVC is nearly indestructible and the bats have accepted them." Other bat enthusiasts liked Maberry's bat houses and soon his hobby turned into a full-time business. He now sells them on the Internet and they're in use all over North America. Maberry makes several sizes of bat houses. The smaller Belfry Tower has a single 4-in. chamber that holds about 100 bats, depending on the species. The larger Belfry Tower II, made with 6-in. dia. PVC, has two chambers and will house up to 250 bats. Both Belfry Tower Homes are approximately 39 in. tall. He says the Belfry II makes a good starting nursery where females can raise their pups. Providing additional houses later will allow your nursery colonies to expand and grow. Most of these bat house models feature air vents that allow for air movement, to keep from overheating in the hotter regions of the country. Both models feature a recessed landing area. They're designed to mount on 1 1/2-in. black steel pipe. He says most of the smaller wooden houses are large enough only for a few single bats. "Our houses encourage colonies to develop and grow," he says. "You can encourage larger populations by putting up several houses." The Belfry Tower I sells for $62.95, including shipping costs. The Belfry Tower II is priced at $94.95, shipping included. Contact: FARM SHOW Follow-up, Marvin Maberry, Jr., 1407 Maberry Road, Daingerfield, Texas 75638 (ph 903 645-2028; E-mail: marvin@maberrybat.com; Website: www.maberrybat.com).

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