Placement of bat box?

[Billabong Karen]

My favourite Christmas present was a bat box from my parents!!!

Now the question is - where best to site it? I have several old fir trees down the garden, and I am pretty sure bats roost in them over night during the warmer months (at least they seem to appear from there). Would it be best to put the bat box on one of the tree trunks, or to try it on the wall of the house, where we will be able to see them better? How high up should the bat box go?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Karen

[Dogghound]

The box wants to be facing south, south/east. It wants to be in an area sheltered from the wind and rain but with sunlight as they like warmth. I would probably put it on a building/wall. Make sure it has a clear flight path to it and there are no trees etc in the way. Height really depends on disturbance and risk of predation. I find about 3 metres is a good height.

[Billabong Karen]

Thanks Dogghound that's useful advice. Our house faces south into the garden, with a slight roof overhang and no trees directly in the way, so that sounds like it might be the perfect spot for the bat box. We'll try to put it up over the next couple of weeks (if it ever stops raining...), and I'll keep you informed whether we get anything moving in!