I believe that Purple Martins prefer their houses to be in open areas, fields, etc. They don't like to fly through trees. I'm right on a lake and the immediate area aound the house is heavily wooded with live oaks and pines. The shade is a Godsend from the summer sun. I've been thinking about clearing out the pines...maybe I'll build myself a log cabin...then I could put up a couple of Purple Martin houses. I've also heard that bats will eat the mosquitos. I gave my sister a bat house for Christmas, I'll wait and see how hers works before I get any.
I've been using Enforcer on the ants. Seems to get them to move to another location. Their bites are horrid!
"I believe that Purple Martins prefer their houses to be in open areas, fields, etc. They don't like to fly through trees. I'm right on a lake and the immediate area aound the house is heavily wooded with live oaks and pines. " I'm on a 17 acre lake in the woods. The Purple Martins fly up and down over the lake every evening. I have the Martin house on the edge of the lake. A Purple Martin house must have a minimum clearance of 15 feet around it in all directions and be a minimum height of 14 feet. LOL. I built a Purple Martin condo, it can house 48 birds.