Cavity Bat Box - FSC® Certified Wooden Bat Roost

Designed for bats that favour true cavity spaces rather than narrow crevices, this Cavity Bat Box provides a warm, stable and sheltered roost for some of the UK’s more secretive and specialist bat species.

Unlike crevice-style bat boxes, this design offers a larger, open internal chamber, making it especially suitable for cavity-roosting bats such as Brown Long-eared bats and several Myotis species, including Daubenton’s, Natterer’s, Whiskered and Brandt’s bats. These species naturally seek out hollow trees, old buildings and deep cavities - habitats that are increasingly scarce in modern landscapes.

Constructed from precision-cut FSC® certified exterior-grade plywood, the box is finished externally in black to absorb warmth from the sun. Inside, ceramic heat sinks help stabilise temperatures, reducing extremes and allowing bats to cluster comfortably without sudden heat loss - a critical factor for roost suitability.

The apex roof is grooved internally, giving bats secure grip points to hang, rest and cluster together, while a grooved landing ladder at the base continues inside the box to ensure easy access and movement. Close-fitting panels and a fixed roof help create a dry, draught-free interior, mimicking the still air of natural cavities.

A sliding floor panel, secured with a single screw, allows for inspection or cleaning only where legally permitted, while keeping disturbance to an absolute minimum.

This is a carefully considered, evidence-led bat box - designed not just to look right, but to function as real habitat.

Why it matters

Many of the UK’s cavity-roosting bats depend on features that are disappearing fast: old hollow trees, loose bark, barns and traditional buildings. Even in wildlife-friendly landscapes, these micro-habitats are now rare.

Providing a purpose-designed cavity bat box can help replace lost roost sites, particularly in gardens, wood edges, churchyards, parkland and near water - areas where bats are already foraging but struggling to find suitable daytime roosts.

This box is especially valuable where crevice boxes may be too narrow or thermally unstable for larger or clustering species.

Where to site

• Mount high up on a tree trunk or building wall

• Choose a sheltered, sunny position, ideally facing south or south-east

• Avoid strong artificial lighting nearby

• For best results, install several boxes facing different directions to offer a range of temperatures

• Expect patience - bats may take several years to discover and adopt new roosts

Signs of occupation can include droppings beneath the box, staining below the entrance slot, or faint chittering on warm afternoons and evenings.

⚠️ All bats and their roosts are legally protected. Boxes must only be opened or inspected by licensed individuals.

Joel says…

“Bat boxes only work when they get the temperature, stillness and internal texture right. This one does - it’s not just a box on a wall, it’s a properly thought-through cavity replacement.”

Selected for Wild Your Garden with guidance from Joel Ashton, this box reflects a habitat-first approach - understanding how bats actually live, rather than forcing them into generic solutions.