The BATCONE is a new time-saving bat exclusion device, invented by Jim Dreisacher who owns and operates Westchester Wildlife. The BAT CONE basically is a humane, one-way door for bats to leave the structure and NOT return.
The BATCONE is currently produced in two models; 1. the Standard Bat Cone, which is one-piece and is made of lightweight, yet durable plastic. As the name implies it is a cone or tapered funnel 5.75 inches long, with a 1.5 inch opening at the end. At the opposite end, or the end you would attach to the structure there is a rigid plastic flange which is 6 inches by 6 inches. As with both of the Bat Cone models the flange can be cut or bent to the angle of the structure for anchoring. The bat cone can be anchored using deck screws (wood) , stapled or even taped over a bats entry/exit point. The optimal position of the BAT CONE
once it is installed is for it to have a slight downward slope. Bats cannot grip the inside of the bat cone, once they exit through the cone, they cannot re-enter.As you can see in the photo, it is sometimes necessary to add some copper mesh underneath the BAT CONE to take up the space between the bat cone and the structure. The only opening you want for the bats to exit is through the BATCONE. To limit the exit point for the bats you may also need to apply a closed cell foam such as Todal foam, or caulk on each side of the opening.
2. Pro-Cone is the latest bat cone model that has been developed. The ProCone is a two-piece bat cone, with the flexible vinyl flange being separate from the tapered plastic cone. The ProCone measures approximately 6" in length with a 1.5" opening on one end. The vinyl flange measures 7 inches by 7 inches, making it versatile for mounting to structures, including dissimilar surfaces, i.e. stone chimney up against clapboard siding. While both models of bat cone are reusable , the ProCone lends itself especially well being to being reusable as the vinyl flange material can be purchased separately.
Pro-Cone can be screwed, stapled or taped into position over a bats entry/exit point. With the optimal positioning being a slight downward slope to the tapered cone.
Once a BATCONE is mounted over a bats entry/exit point in a structure it should be left in place a reasonable amount of time to allow the bats to exit the structure. This time period will vary, however 5 - 7 days is typically sufficient according to Bat Conservation International. Leaving a bat cone in place for longer periods is not detrimental. Please Note: It may be necessary to use more than one Bat Cone to exclude bats from a structure. All entry/exit points on a structure must be identified and a bat cone installed to successfully exclude the bats. Failure to follow this procedure may result in merely moving the bats to another part of the building.
Once it has been determined that the bats have been successfully excluded from a structure it is then necessary to remove each of the installed bat cones and permanently seal the exit point openings using hardware cloth or copper mesh inseted into the hole and then completely sealed with closed cell foam or a quality silicone caulking.
The BATCONE or Pro-Cone are both time-saving devices for excluding bats from structures and eliminate the need to fabricate something onsite. The bat cone looks professional when mounted and will leave your customer with an impression of confidence in your ability to solve their bat problem.
