Want to attract bats to my barn (1 Viewer)

I am trying to attract bats to live in the upper story of my barn. It is an old log tobacco barn. If you aren’t from the southern part of the USA picture a 2 story log cabin around 14 ft by 20 ft with windowless openings on both floors and a crude cellar beneath it.

Prior to our buying the property the barn was stuffed with rubbish and containers of old pesticides. We have since cleaned everything out and I can not detect any pesticide odor. A raccoon has taken up residence in the cellar but I would like to attract a barn owl to the first floor and a colony of bats to the second story. My logic being that the bats would prefer the higher opening.

The 2nd story window is about 2 ft by 2 ft which leads me to believe that the problem might be that the bats might feel too exposed or that they are rejecting the barn due to an over abundance of sun light. I have taken to keeping a light on in the evenings to attract bugs for them in hopes that they will find the barn. There is a nearby water source too so it seems like “bat heaven” to my inexperienced eyes.

Should I cover a section of the window to reduce the light issues? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Paula Jane

Paula Jane,
I am new to the bat thing, so I don't have alot of expertise to offer. I have a new bat house constructed and ready to install this spring; the details are on the To bat or not to bat thread. Everything that I have read and the few exposures to bat roosting behavior indicate that they prefer narrow, dark places to crawl up in to. I'm thinking that a window opening that leads to a large, dark room with a roof may not be ideal. If you were to attach plywood to the interior roof rafters to create baffles and make them accessible thru cracks at the top of the exterior walls below the eaves might be more conducive to bat roosting. I don't really know if they only like vertical roosts or if they would work with the pitch created by the roof...?
Either way, I hope that giving this thread a kick will attract others with more batting experience to help ya.

Thanks Brettski, I think you are right the opening and the space may just be too large. I will try covering the window with plywood that has a small hole cut in it. I am a little frightened to spend too much time walking in the attic because the floor is not sound but maybe I can lay plywood on it to support me while I put up the boards you spoke of. It's funny remembering the fuss my aunt made when she found bats in her attic considering all the trouble it is taking to attract them.
Paula Jane