Batboxes
Scary? No! Not a bit of it! Bats have got a bad press courtesy of many
a vampire film, but in fact they are both fasinating and in many cases,
endagered creatures. And they are useful, too. In the UK, bats eat bugs,
not blood! It's a treat on a summer evening to see them flit noiselessly
between trees, catching moths on the wing and slipping through branmches
at incredible speed.
The
UK is home to a surprising number of species of bat, from the tiny pipistrelle
to the water-hunting Daberntons bat, but their roosts are under serious
threat and most bats species are endagered. Indeed, the mouse-eared
bat was declared extinct
in the UK as recently as 1991. So at Garden Safari we decided to try
and do what we could to help them out.
Bats are far more sensitive than birds to many paints, varnishes and
stains and for this reason their roosts should always be completely
untreated. Rough sawn wood is best because the bats depend on the surface
roughness to climb around inside, and a narrow entrance (at the bottom
of the box) is vital to prevent predators getting in.
Sadly birds sometimes nest in bat boxes, with the result that the chicks
are either unable to escape, or fall easily out of the bottom entrance
and are killed. Our bat roosts are specially design to prevent either
of these things happening.
Bats routinely change their roosting places as the temperature and weather conditions change, but depending on the species they generally like warm, moist places free from draughts. They will land on the nest, crawl up inside and then hang clustered closely together to keep warm. Our roost are specailly designed to ensure that the camera equipment inside is tucked out of the way of the bats and their...ahem..droppings.
Please note that because bats are so endangered it is illegal under
UK law to disturb a bat roost. Once our bat boxes are occupied you must
not disturb them in any way - which is why a camera is not only the
best way to see what is going on inside, it's the only way
to see inside. Bats cannot see our infrared camera lights at all, so
they aren't disturbed by them - indeed they help to keep the roost slightly
warmer than it would otherwise be.
Our basic bat box measures approximately 22xm (w) x 45cm (h) (81/2" x 17"), and is made from solid wood sourced from FSC-certified sustainable woodlands. It comes fully assembled (not a kit!) and all screws and nails used are galvanised. We even supply the screws and rawplugs for wall fixing! You should site your bat box high on a south or west-facing wall so that it gets as much of the sun's heat as possible, and as far away from easy predator access as you can. Bats will often change roost throughout a season, so don't worry if they move on - others will probably move in!
Camera options for bat boxes
We offer three basic choices of camera for our bat boxes:
- USB cameras - These plug into the USB port of any PC. The camera comes with a 30 foot (10 metre) cable as standard and we can extend this up to 75 feet if you choose our extended cable option at the time you place order (note: we cannot add it afterwards because we seal all the joints to keep them weatherproof). The cable carries both the video picture and the power. Students and researchers - looking for a truly portable solution? With our USB nestbox and extended USB cable option + weatherproof box option you can stick the box almost anywhere! Go miles into the woods, to the top of the cliff or across the stream, open the weatherproof connector box and plug the USB connector into your laptop. As long as your batteries are reasonably fresh, the laptop will power the camera and you'll see what is going on in the nest from up to 25 metres away. No need to disturb the birds or risk life and limb.
- Wireless Cameras that plug into your TV/ Video - These use wireless technology to beam the video picture back to your TV or DVR/VCR, so you can watch and/or record the action in the box from your living room. Note, however, that the wireless cameras do eat batteries, so we have supplied a mains adaptor to provide power to the camera.We also include a 10 metre power connecting lead and a weatherproof connection box, allowing you to house the battery or connect to the mains adaptor.
- Wired Cameras that plug into your TV/ Video - These bring the video signal along cables to your TV or VCR/DVR. The cable carries both the video picture and the power.
Want to know more? See our guide to our cameras or read our FAQ pages
| Bat box with 1.3 Megapixel* USB camera Comes with 10 metre (30 foot) cable as standard |
£59 |
|
Contact us for stock details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 75foot (25Metre) cable extender for USB bat box | £40 |
|
Built to order |
| Weatherproof housing for USB cable connector | £8 |
|
Built to order |
| Bat Box with wireless TV camera Comes with mains adaptor for receiver, plus battery adaptor, mains adaptor and 10 metre (30 foot) power lead for camera as standard |
£89 |
|
Contact us for stock details |
| Additional 10 metre (30 foot) Power cable extender for wireless TV camera |
£12 |
|
Contact us for stock details |
| Bat box with wired TV camera Comes with 10 metre (30 foot) cable as standard |
£69 |
|
Contact us for stock details |
| Additional 10 metre (30 foot) cable for wired TV camera | £19 |
|
Contact us for stock details |
All prices include VAT but exclude post and packaging
which will be added to your order at checkout before you complete your
purchase.
All stock levels are approximate and subject to change. If delivery
time is crucual please email us first.