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*Please note that due to the nature of this product, we are unable to ship by our usual shipping methods. As a result the actual shipping price may not be accurately reflected during on-line check out. Items usually incur a minimum shipping cost of £59.50 (ex VAT) and may be higher for some postcodes. Please contact our Customer Services Department on 01803 865913 or customer.services@nhbs.com to obtain a shipping quote. As these boxes are made to order, they may take up to 4-8 weeks to dispatch.
*Please note that these boxes are made to order and that cancellation after 24 hours of placing an order for a custom box will incur a full charge.
*Be advised that some brick types may need to be supplied by the customer at their expense.
With the increase in development of new building sites and redevelopment of older buildings, especially in rural areas, the availability of roost sites for bat species is becoming more limited. However, bats can be encouraged to remain at old sites or colonise new sites by incorporating artificial roost spaces into buildings during the build or renovation process.
The Habibat 003 Bat Box is based on the original Habibat Bat Box and is a large, solid box made of insulating concrete with an internal roost space, which can be incorporated into the fabric of a building as it is built or renovated. This model has a blended facing meaning it will fit discreetly and seamlessly into stretcher bond brickwork. A variety of facings can be fitted to suit any existing brick, wood, stonework or rendered finish, rendering the box unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing. There are a choice of 3 plinth colours available: smooth blue, smooth red, or buff.
This Habibat box is suitable for species which are most commonly found roosting in buildings in the UK, such as Pipistrelle, Natterer's, Whiskered, and Brandt's bats.
Dimensions: Box size: 215mm (wide) x 440mm (high) x 102mm (deep) plus facing bricks
Material: Concrete plus plain facing
Weight: Approximately 7kg
Correct placement of Habibat is fundamental to the successful uptake by bats.
Orientation
Temperature is known to be the major factor influencing successful uptake of artificial roost by bats. In general, bats seek warm spaces to help them with rearing young. For this reason, Habibat should be located where it will receive the maximum amount of sunlight. In the northern hemisphere this will be the southerly aspects/orientation (south, south-west and south-east).
Height
Position Habibat a minimum of 2 metres but preferably 5 to 7 metres above ground. Avoid placement above windows, doors and wall climbing plants, thereby reducing the likelihood of predation by cats. A position near the eaves or gable apex of the property would be preferable.
Landscape considerations
To make Habibat a potential roost for a wider range of bat species, it is helpful to consider whether there is nearby linear vegetation features such as hedges and treelines. This is because some bat species use these features for navigation between their roosting site and feeding ground and to avoid flying in open and exposed areas.
Monitoring:
Bats and their roosts are legally protected from disturbance and damage. For this reason only a licenced bat worker should closely examine the Habibat to check for bat usage. However, anyone can check for signs of bat use. This includes the presence of bat droppings on the plinth and surrounding walls and the outflight of bats at dusk.
The Bat Conservation Trust wants to assist with monitoring installed Habibats as a means to research what works for bats. If you have any questions about installing your Habibat please contact the BCT Helpline on: 0845 1300 228
About Habibat
Habibat is a unique partnership between the Bat Conservation Trust, Ecosurv and participants/customers/you
Our aim is to provide bat boxes that work for bats and buildings. A portion of the profits from each Habibat sold will be reinvested into the Habibat scheme to improve accommodation for bats. We will be improving knowledge of integrated bat boxes, refining our bat box design and giving our customers guidance on installation.
Habibat is an integrated bespoke bat box, designed to be species specific and fit in the majority of buildings
We believe in producing desirable bat boxes bespoke to your needs whilst developing the best possible artificial accommodation for bats.
Habibat is a monitoring scheme for bat boxes
The Bat Conservation Trust will be working with Habibat customers to collect information on the use and installation and of our integrated bat boxes. We aim to establish a monitoring scheme to determine the factors for successful uptake and inform future designs and installation guidance.
Habibat is a design test bed for bat boxes
The Bat Conservation Trust is inputting into the development of the bespoke Habibat bat accommodation, a number of different Habibats will be tried and tested over the course of a number of years until we find the perfect balance.
