PSSP-bat houses & bootie

A few months ago there was a lot of discussion about building bat houses.
We have brown bats trying to take up residence inside the iron ranger at the park entrance, if anyone has built one we can erect it at the park so the bats can have a comfortable home. Please PM us if you have one.
Also, I found a drysuit bootie about 6 weeks ago, I remember someone asking me about one while he was here, he had lost one but I do not remember who that was, please PM us & hopefully get it back to it's owner.
Thanks Janet

Okay like I know this is a serious request. Anybody who has a bat house should contribute 'cause bats eat lots of misquitoes. However, I can't help but wonder (maybe laugh). I can imagine opening that iron ranger to have a bat or two fly out. EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK! Must of been a sight to see. :lol:

Sorry Janet. I hope a bat didn't fly into someone's hair..... :lol:

You know what Barney Fife said about bats - they get tangled up in your hair, lay their eggs in there and you go crazy.

A word to the wise ...

Hhheeeeyyyyyy.......what's that supposed to mean?

:lol:

Bats are cool. Just not in your hair. I know, I know it's a myth. Like bees nesting in your hair. I wish I had a bat house. Hmmm.....I bet they are easy to build.

Hay Janet, sorry it will take a while but I promise to bring one down when I make it this year. I will donate it then. For me to ship it down will cost more then to make it but I promise to bring one in Dec.

SLIM

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SLIM

Hay Janet, sorry it will take a while but I promise to bring one down when I make it this year. I will donate it then. For me to ship it down will cost more then to make it but I promise to bring one in Dec.

SLIM

---

That is great!! Is there any chance you could bring a set of plans on how to make one down with you when you come visit for the holidays?

I recently started dry caving and have found them to be the coolest little creatures. The highlight of some of my dry caving trips has been the chance to see these little guys hang out (no pun intended) in their natural habitat.

Yup Stary I will bring a set just for you. I will be sure they are in such a manner you can understand how to build them. If not might need to get Bubba to translate them to you.

SLIM

There are plenty of plans in the net, just type "bat house plans" for your search engine. Be sure to use old wood though, they don't like new wood for some reason...

Dive safe,

Celia

I thought Mike M was spearheading a project this past summer to build and erect some bat houses around Peacock; whatever happened to that? I had planned on donating to help out with the building costs, but never found Mike while I was down in May for the CDS workshop. Does anyone know if he ever got any built and put up, or did the plans get sidelined when he took the job at MB? If someone wants to take on the task of building and placing the houses in the park, I for one will be happy to donate what I can to help out with the building costs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DeWayne

I thought Mike M was spearheading a project this past summer to build and erect some bat houses around Peacock; whatever happened to that? I had planned on donating to help out with the building costs, but never found Mike while I was down in May for the CDS workshop.

---

I too thought this project was a done deal a long time ago. I live far away, but if money will help get this done, let me know where to send it.

Janet, thanks for everything on our last trip down 2 weeks ago, and please thank Ranger Rick for his help, too. You guys all rock, and I hope the Parks Service or whatever it is called down there recognizes your hard work and contributions to generating tourism revenue. The face you put on FL state parks is awesome!


al

I just got a couple of Books on Bat-house building from Amazon...currently they are in the "To-Read" stack....

Lemme see what I can do....

Norm
con Batos en el Belfryio

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DeWayne

I thought Mike M was spearheading a project this past summer to build and erect some bat houses around Peacock; whatever happened to that? I had planned on donating to help out with the building costs, but never found Mike while I was down in May for the CDS workshop.

---

I too thought this project was a done deal a long time ago. I live far away, but if money will help get this done, let me know where to send it.

Janet, thanks for everything on our last trip down 2 weeks ago, and please thank Ranger Rick for his help, too. You guys all rock, and I hope the Parks Service or whatever it is called down there recognizes your hard work and contributions to generating tourism revenue. The face you put on FL state parks is awesome!


al

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Angie Reim

Hhheeeeyyyyyy.......what's that supposed to mean?

:lol:

Bats are cool. Just not in your hair. I know, I know it's a myth. Like bees nesting in your hair. I wish I had a bat house. Hmmm.....I bet they are easy to build.

---

***Just don't ever let Batman catch Spiderman in the BatHouse with Bat Woman, cause that could mean big trouble, Huh-!

:smt031

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DeWayne

I thought Mike M was spearheading a project this past summer to build and erect some bat houses around Peacock; whatever happened to that? I had planned on donating to help out with the building costs, but never found Mike while I was down in May for the CDS workshop.

---

I too thought this project was a done deal a long time ago. I live far away, but if money will help get this done, let me know where to send it.

Janet, thanks for everything on our last trip down 2 weeks ago, and please thank Ranger Rick for his help, too. You guys all rock, and I hope the Parks Service or whatever it is called down there recognizes your hard work and contributions to generating tourism revenue. The face you put on FL state parks is awesome!


al

---

I did in fact do a fair amount of research on this back in the spring. Came up with the plans, a material list and went to Lowes and priced it all out.
After talking with a couple bat experts associated with a couple cave grottos in the area, I found that the bat houses, although effective "IF" you can get bats to take up residence, have a few drawbacks. It can take years for the bats to find and use the houses, if ever. Location is very important and they need to be cleaned out from time to time, apparently the bat poo makes the screen used on the inside for the bats to hold onto too slick for the bats to get a grip and has to be scrubbed out from time to time.
However, that aside, working as a state park employee, I found out real quick that there are a lot of hoops to jump through to get something like this put in a state park. You can't just put them up, biologists need to approve the design, location, quantity etc.
This project pretty much withered away on the vine once the mosquito population started to decline.

If y'all Google "bathouse" you can come up with a few low cost way to build them. The info also tells ya were to nail em up (shady side of the tree) and how to leave the bottom open for the guano to fall free.

I built one a few years ago for my daughter and it seems to be a hit. I used t&g cedar and it's still in good shape .

best of luck to y'all

Mike is right, I've been told of the hoops we have to jump also,
it wasn't a surprise for me been with the CSO for 6 years. I have asked to place one, Slim's near the entrance in hopes the ones using the iron ranger will take up residence there, they are so cute & small. Richard said they use the rock ledges in between floods to hang out. Ha ha!

ask for permission??????. Just build it and hang it. If it makes you feel any better , use some natural tree bark to add some camo value to the project.

When has any state employee said YES to anything? It's alway "we have to run it through committee" which sound like comedy,
and is often confusing

Also , contacting the property owners, that are close , and offer them free bathouses. That would help solve the problem. What are they going to say? NO we like mosquitoes! not likely.

Remember, you're not building bathouses, you're doing "chemical free, nightly mosquito eradication"

Janet, got the materials today and will start working on it. If you do by chance get one before I make it down and put it up by the Iron Ranger, I will understand if mine goes to another place since it will still be some time before I make it down.


:-D
SLIM

USPS and UPS still deliver to Luraville don't they?

Janet,
If you want this to be an ongoing project, you may want to contact one of the local Boy Scout Troops. Before a Scout can be be awarded his eagle scout status he must plan and execute a public service project. In our troop we have become very helpful to the local state park rangers. If they need something built and one of our boys can plan and finance it the whole troop helps to build it. Trails, picnic tables, etc. Bat houses seems like an ideal project.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by curtschu

USPS and UPS still deliver to Luraville don't they?

---

Yeah but to get there the drivers are still under the impression that they need a gun, guide, map and passport, along with danger pay for the exploration.

Michael

UPS USPS would cost as much as it does for me to make it. Besides I have to be there to hand it over so that Janet can take possesion of it. She already knows about when I will be down and I will bring it. If they already have one, then it would just be another one to help out in other areas.

SLIM

Anybody up for the challenge?

http://www.batcon.org/bhra/economyhouse.html

Good Luck....

Maybe we could contact the local Boy Scouts chapter and let them have at it.... i'm sure there is some sort of merit badge for this sort of thing.

-Matt

Janet,

I agree with Charlieo. Being an Eagle scout and former assistant Scoutmaster, I am willing to bet prospective Eagle scouts in your local troop would be eager to take on a project like this.

Tom