What Is Bat House, How To Build One

First off, a bat house will not lure bats away from the attic of your home. In fact, many bat houses lay empty for many years before bats choose to roost in them. Some will never attract bats, because the temperature or location is not suitable. Second, if you do a bat exclusion from your home, and install a bat house thinking that the colony will simply move from your attic to the alternate place you've created for them, I have to tell you that it won't work, unfortunately.  Bats are very finicky. Third, I do think it's a great idea to install a bat house, in order to help provide potential habitat for these great animals. It's just that a bat house will not impact in any way a colony of bats living in your attic, chimney, etc.

Bats are not an animal to be afraid of or to kill out of fear; in fact bats can be a great help to people who live close to them. A mosquito infestation can be kept under control thanks to the fact that bats can eat up to 600 of them each day. They are important parts of our ecosystem and unfortunately are slow to reproduce. Combine that with the fear most people have of them and their population balances on instability in some areas. These facts, along with the natural pest control bats provide, and there is no wonder some people want them closer to their home. A bat house is the perfect way to do just that. You can either build a bat house, or buy a well-made one from many online retailers.

What Is A Bat House
A bat house is a shelter that you can build in order to give the bats a place to sleep. Bat houses are easy to build and you only need to keep a few things in mind to ensure that the bats enjoy staying in the area. The first thing that you need to know is that bats are nocturnal creatures and s such will need the bat house that you build to stay dark even during the middle of the day. The second thing you need to pay attention to is the shape. The first time that you see a bat shelter you may not understand why the shape looks the way it does; they are flat and a bit small. The reason for the shape is that they are made to resemble what they would have if they were taking shelter in a tree. When finished your bat house will be very similar to a thin mailbox or envelope box.


How to build a bat house - follow the above blueprint, or several others you can find online.

The Size Of The Bat House Matters
Because the main concern is to keep the bats safe and comfortable you should know that the size of the shelter you will be building matters. The bat house should be a minimum of 24 inches tall, 14 inches wide and several inches thick. You will also need to build chambers so that you can have more bays in the house. These chambers should be an inch or more apart and twenty inches tall. The house should have a landing area below the chambers that is several inches wide. Make sure the areas are rough surfaces so the bats have purchase areas and don’t slip uncomfortably. If a very hot climate (summer highs over 85 degrees F) include vents.

Learn more: Bats in attic removal cost

How Long Will It Take To Build?
The amount of time that it will take to build a bat house depends on two things: your ability as a craftsman and the design that you have chosen for your project. Most of the simple designs can be made in a couple of hours even if you do not have much experience with tools and design. Some designs can be complicated but will give you the best look. Some complicated designs could in fact take a couple of days. Staining and painting the wood plus allowing it to dry will add time onto the project. Generally speaking it’s as simple as creating a slim box with inside chambers.

Learn about bat mating habits.

How To Get Started
A combination of plywood and cedar is the best type of wood that you can use, so get larger boards of each and take the measurements. You will need measuring tape, nails, and a pencil. Use the pencil to trace what you want the bat house to look like. If you do not have electric cutting tools then you may want to take them to a wood shop so they can cut the boards for you. The cutting process takes a couple of minutes and the cutting is precise. It is also a good idea to do that if you are looking to give the boards a special design. Make sure to give the board a 1 inch entrance for the bats to get in. Adding a ceiling and an air vent will keep the bats comfortable even in the summer.

Ideas For Your Bat House
There are some other things that you can do to help the bat house become more stable. Using galvanized screws instead of nails will make the bat house more resistant and durable. Depending on the general summer temperatures in your area you will paint or stain the house in a range of shades from black, browns to whites. The hotter the area the lighter the color you should paint. The same goes for placing the house in the sun. Cooler climates will need at least ten hours a day of exposure and warmer clients less. Bats need warmth especially when they have babies so this will be important. There is nothing like knowing that you built the home for the bats in your area and that they will pay you back by controlling the mosquito and bug population.

Purchasing a Bat House
Of course, it's probably easier to purchase a bat house. Then you'll know you're getting a well-made product that fits the proper specifications. There are many retailers of bat houses online. Do a web search, and you will find them. Make sure the bat house is designed in the way I've described above.

HELP: If you need professional help in solving your bat problem, please click on my Hiring Advice and 2018 Directory of Bat Removal Professionals serving every city in the USA.

Go back to my main bats in the attic home page, or read more about bats:

What can bats chew through?
Do bats chew on wires?
Where do colonizing bats live?
How do bats use echolocation?



Wildlife Education - Information and Advice for the Safe Removal of Bats from Attics