Whether you are planning a construction project, are in the middle of a new–build or are looking to update an existing structure, you may be exploring options for providing bat habitats. We have an extensive range of bat boxes available on our website, in a variety of formats and materials. Here we explore the different types, how they may be used and where they can be installed.
Bat Box Material Properties
Bat boxes are constructed with a variety of materials, each with differing properties.
- Most commonly used for external boxes, wood is lightweight with good thermal properties for inhabitants. However, it does rot without treatment and therefore does not last as long as other materials.
- Woodcrete (also named woodstone or woodconcrete) is a very durable material with exceptional thermal properties and is often the material of choice for built-in boxes. It can also be used externally and can last several decades once installed.
- Eco-plastics are used to create lightweight boxes, typically designed for external use. They have good weather resistance and longevity, although less durability.
- Concrete is exceptionally durable and is used for built-in boxes. It has good thermal properties but due to its weight, is unsuitable for external mounting.
Maternity Boxes
Typically larger in size with multiple internal chambers, maternity boxes are designed to support breeding colonies by providing a well-insulated roosting space for raising young.
These boxes are mostly made for external installation but are also available in a built-in format which is installed into the brickwork and can be rendered over.
Since these boxes are mostly available in an external form, they can be installed once construction has taken place. Built-in boxes should be fixed during the construction process and installed directly into the brickwork.
Example:
Improved Roost-Maternity Bat Box
#187787
An FSC certified crevice box, suitable for roosts or maternity groups.
Bat Tubes
Bat tubes are longer internal cavities with multiple sections or crevices. These are often made of woodcrete and are available in modular versions which can be connected in the facade allowing for side-by-side or a longer tower format.
These boxes come built-in and are incorporated into the building’s brickwork during exterior wall construction where they can be rendered over.
Example:
#264632
A modular option available in multiple depths and styles for crevice and cavity species.
Bat Bricks
Constructed to industry standard size, bat bricks have a dome-shaped access hole to allow bats into a suitable cavity.
These products are designed to be incorporated into the brickwork of a building, whether this be a new build or an existing structure under renovation, and are available in standard colours enabling them to seamlessly blend into existing walls. When installing bat bricks, it is important to ensure that a chamber free from insulating material is available behind the access brick to allow bats to safely roost.
Example: 197697
#197697
A standard-sized brick available in red, golden and brown colours.
Access Tiles and Panels
Similar to bat bricks, these tiles provide an access point to open roof space or the underfelt of the roof, allowing bats to nest in confined spaces beneath the tiles. They can be installed within the roof or ridge tiles during construction, or they may be used to replace tiles on existing structures, and are available in multiple colours to blend seamlessly into existing tiles.
Bat access panels are also available to provide bats access to a roosting site, and are particularly advantageous for renovation projects with existing roosting colonies. These panels can also be rendered over, and can be installed at any point during construction.
Access tiles and panels require an insulation-free cavity behind the product to provide nesting space.
Examples:
#187127
This set includes three tiles available in five traditional roof tile colours.
1FE Schwegler Bat Access Panel
#180333
A woodconcrete access panel with an overall depth of just 8cm for easy integration.
Bat Box
These boxes are available as external or built-in designs and consist of a simple box with an entrance hole and varying interiors. Bat boxes can come in a range of forms, and can have one large, single cavity or a multi-chamber interior and can cater to both crevice and cavity-dwelling bats. There are also hybrid options, where a box is designed with cavities for multiple species, for example a box may cater to bats and Swifts.
Built-in boxes are designed to be installed among the brickwork and can be rendered over. External boxes can be mounted to trees, fences and buildings with the appropriate fixings. It is important to consider the weight of an external box before mounting, more lightweight boxes (made from wood or plastic for example) can be fixed to trees, but heavier woodcrete boxes should be fixed to a solid structure.
Examples:
Large Multi Chamber Woodstone Bat Box
#246918
A large multi-chamber box that is also suitable as a hibernation, maternity or summer roosting space
#261420
A hybrid box designed to support multiple species, including cavity and crevice dwelling species.
PRO UK Build-in WoodStone Bat Box
#256321
A maintenance-free woodstone box designed to work with UK brick dimensions.
#259840
Features a single internal cavity that is suitable as a summer roost.
Rocket box
Rocket boxes are large, pole-mounted habitats that provide a large roosting area over multiple chambers. Typically made with a plastic shell, these boxes allow for 360 movement and are available with both crevice and cavity designs.
Rocket boxes are external and do not attach to any part of the building. They are particularly useful when there are no suitable trees for external boxes, and a wall mounted box is undesirable. They have also been used to provide an alternative roosting site near building works.
Example:
#242611
A pole-mounted bat box available in a cavity or crevice design.
For more information on bat boxes and how to choose them, read our Bat Boxes Buyers Guide.
Our full range of bat boxes can be found here.
If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.