How To

How to Build a Bat House

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(11 Ratings)

Though bats are often viewed in a negative light, they are actually very beneficial to have around, particularly if you live in a wooded area where mosquitoes and gnats are prevalent. A single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in one night. To attract bats to live near you, build a bat house. Bats like dark, cave-like dwellings, so a bat house offers them a perfect place to reside.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • 1/2-inch plywood sheets
  • Pencil
  • Measuring tape
  • Circular saw
  • Furring strip
  • 1 1/4-inch deck or exterior-grade screws
  • Screwdriver
  • Caulk and caulking gun
  • Stain, exterior-grade
  1. Step 1

    Cut 3 pieces of 1/2-inch plywood into the following dimensions: one 26 1/2 inches by 24 inches, one 16 1/2 inches by 24 inches and one 5 inches by 24 inches.

  2. Step 2

    Make lines with a pencil 1/2-inch apart along the entire length of the back piece (26 1/2 by 24-inch piece of plywood). Then cut along the lines with a circular saw to a depth of about 1/16-inch.

  3. Step 3

    Apply a dark stain to the interior parts of the plywood. Don't use paint, as this fills in the grooves cut in Step 2.

  4. Step 4

    Measure and cut the furring strip into three pieces: one 24 inches in length and two pieces 20 1/2 inches in length. Attach two shorter furring strips to the short sides and the 24-inch strip to the long side of the back piece.

  5. Step 5

    Attach the 16 1/2-inch by 24-inch plywood to the furring strips. Leave a 1/2-inch gap for ventilation, then attach the 5-inch by 24-inch piece below the top piece. Now there is an 11 1/2-inch, exposed part of the back piece that acts as a climbing point where the bats can land and crawl into the chamber.

  6. Step 6

    Caulk all joints to seal the bat house chamber. Attach a 1-inch by 3-inch board for a roof. Then paint or stain the exterior of the bat house. Mount on a building such as a shed or garage.

Tips & Warnings
  • Mount the bat house on the south or east side of a building.
  • You can make bat houses to fit bigger colonies by following the same directions but cutting larger pieces.
  • Add plastic mesh instead of cut grooves to the back piece to serve as a foothold for the bats.

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