The range of integrated or built-in habitats designed for bats can be overwhelming. For new developments, or renovation projects, you may be searching for bat boxes to incorporate additional habitat into your build, and support species while providing new infrastructure. With an upturn in low impact, wildlife friendly construction, integrated bat products are becoming increasingly relevant in the construction sector. Bat boxes are designed to provide an appropriately sized, predator-free space for bats to roost or hibernate. They are designed to be built-in to the building itself, whether this be roofing or brickwork and are unobtrusive, often hard to spot, and help to provide various species with a permanent roost.
There are 18 bat species in the UK, all of which use the same areas of buildings to roost in the absence of natural habitats – most commonly cellars, roofs and loose brickwork, among many more. In general, bat boxes should be placed between 3-6 metres high, in a sunny location with around 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. It is also best to avoid placing these in areas around artificial light. For built-in products, woodcrete (or woodstone, woodconcrete) is preferred due to its durability, longevity and good insulative properties.
Here we discuss integrated bat boxes, providing an overview of our selection of bat habitats and their benefits.
Types of Integrated Bat Boxes
Bat Tiles, Bricks and Panels
Tiles, bricks and panels provide bats with an access point to a suitable roosting space, whether this be within the roof, ridge tiles or a cavity area behind bricks and panels. They are designed to be incorporated into the build itself during construction or renovation and should be provided with suitable roosting cavities behind the access point, usually in the form of bat boxes or insulation-free cavity space.
- Made to standard brick size
- Suitable for new builds or renovation
- Available in multiple colours to cater to existing structures
- Requires a cavity chamber
1FE Schwegler Bat Access Panel (183033)
- Can be used to conserve existing roosts or create new sites
- Made with woodcrete to ensure durability and breathability
- Rot-proof
- Can be painted or rendered over
- Made to order
- Provides bats with an entrance to underfelt or open loft
- Protection from heat extremes
- Available in five traditional tile colours
Integrated Bat Boxes
Bat boxes are designed to cater for either crevice and cavity dwelling species through varying complexity or can occasionally be a hybrid design to encourage uptake from both groups. These self-contained roosts are unobtrusive and are typically installed flush to the wall or can be rendered over. Bat boxes can also be designed for hibernation and breeding, providing a well-insulated, larger space to accommodate breeding colonies and larger groups.
Integrated Eco Bat Box (232521)
- Suitable for crevice or cavity species
- Weatherproof
- Long lasting and lightweight
- Replaces 6 standard bricks
- Made with recycled plastic
Vivara Pro Build-in WoodStone Bat Box (252139)
- Can be rendered over
- Discreet entrance hole
- Modular design which can be connected in the facade
- Long lasting, insulative woodstone material
Unitura Modular Bat Tubes (264632)
- Woodconcrete
- Modular design which can be connected in the facade
- Can be rendered over
- Multiple depths and styles available
- Sloped entrance promotes water run off
- Single double or triple crevice layers
1WI Schwegler Summer and Winter Bat Box (187994)
- Suitable for year-round occupation
- Suitable for maternity and roosting
- Woodcrete has good longevity and insulative properties
- Can be rendered over
- Woodcrete
- Suitable for rendering
- Long lasting and durable
- Discrete entrance hole
- Suitable as a summer roost
Custom Bat Boxes
Bat boxes typically consist of a solid box made from insulating materials with an internal roosting space. They can be custom faced with a chosen brick type (or existing brick, wood, stonework or rendered finish) to allow for discrete installation and a better blend into the existing facade.
Habibat Bat Box 003 Custom Brick Blended Facing (205039)
- Made to order
- Blended facing
- Insulative properties
- Customisable brick facing and plinth to blend with existing brickwork
Habibat Bat Box 001 – Custom Brick Facing (193477)
- Made to order
- Insulative properties
- Blended facing in brick to match building
- Unobtrusive design
Ibstock Enclosed Bat Box ‘B’ (214595)
- Made to order
- Intended as a summer roosting space
- Available in two sizes and three colours
- Made to order
- Available in a variety of facings to suit any existing brick, wood, stonework or aa rendered finish
- Insulative properties
External Bat Boxes
An alternative to integrated habitat boxes, externally mounted bat boxes can be attached to trees, fences, or buildings and are typically made of woodstone or woodcrete. These versatile boxes can be designed for summer roosting, hibernation, or maternity roosting, varying in size to accommodate different species.
2F Schwegler Bat Box (General Purpose) (174814)
- Woodcrete
- Summer roosting space
- Removable front panel
- Long lasting
Large Multi Chamber WoodStone Bat Box (246918)
- Woodstone
- Suitable for maternity and summer roosting
- Also suitable as a hibernation box in mild winters
- Long lasting
- Removable front panel
- Wood concrete
- Long lasting
- Suitable as a summer roost
- Curved for a closer fit to trees
Vivara Pro WoodStone Bat Box (210820)
- WoodStone
- Suitable as a summer roosting space
- Long lasting
- Removable front panel
2FE Schwegler Wall-mounted Bat Shelter (Pack of 2) (190558)
- Suitable for summer roosts or for winter hibernation quarters
- Fixed to external walls
- Long lasting
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.