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Please be aware that cats are one of the most hazardous predators for bats, so your bat box should be sited where cats cannot threaten the emerging bats. It is best to put them on trees, and three boxes per tree is ideal, facing north, south-east and south-west. Bats like to move around and choose boxes facing in different directions at different times of the year and in varying conditions. Make sure there are no branches around the box as bats like an uncluttered flight path to and from the box.
It is useful to site boxes in places where bats are known to feed but have no nearby roosts. Good sites are near rivers, ponds, woodland glades and sheltered hedgerows. The sides of woodland rides are good places, as are trees that are a little isolated. These trees are easy to spot in urban areas such as parks, schools and hospital grounds.
The best way to see if the boxes are being used is to look for small, dry, crumbly droppings below the box or for the bats leaving the boxes as night falls. If you find bats are using the box, only a licensed bat warden is allowed to inspect it in the future. Don't worry if you think your bat boxes are not being used immediately. Bats leave little trace and are rarely seen as they move about a lot so they may well be using the box.
Once or twice a year, give the slotted opening a brush to remove any build up of dust, dirt or cobwebs that could block the opening. Also prune back any plants or tree branches that may have grown across. The best time to do this work is when the bats have left for their winter hibernation, which is from about late autumn to early spring. In particular avoid the period between June to mid-August when female bats are normally giving birth and lactating.