How to Design a Bat Box
Bats have been around for about 50 million years, according to Bat Conservation International. Bats are unique flying mammals, members of the Chiroptera family, which is then divided into two groups that categorize the animals by size: Microchiroptera and Megachiroptera. Most bats in the United States are small bats, or Microchiroptera. You can build a bat box to study these mammals in greater detail. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a location for your bat box. The Organization for Bat Conservation advises that since bats need a lot of heat while they sleep during the day, bat boxes "should face south to southeast to take advantage of the morning sun;" and that in "northern states and Canada, bat houses need to receive at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight." Bat boxes should be positioned at least 15 feet off the ground. The higher the box is, the more likely it will attract bats.
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Decide how large your bat box will be. Bat boxes should be at least 14 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
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Use graph paper to sketch the dimensions of your bat box. Use 1 square to equal 1 inch. Draw all of the sides, top and bottom of the bat box on the graph paper. If you want your bat box to have multiple chambers inside, draw where those will go inside the box. Calculate how much wood and other materials you'll need.
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Double-check your math and design before you buy materials to build the bat box.
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