How to Install Bat Houses for Insect Control
According to Bat Conservation International, all bats in the United States and Canada are insectivorous with the exception of three species of nectar-feeding bats that live along the Mexican border of Arizona and Texas (reference 1). Because of their very high metabolism and the great amount of energy that they expend, bats eat a lot of insects--perhaps as many as 2,000 mosquito-sized insects in a single night (reference in Comments). This makes them very good for insect control. Installing bat houses to attract these small creatures to your property can be a very natural way to control flying insect pests. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Two 1x4 wood boards of a length at 6 inches longer than the width of your bat house
- Eight 1 1/2 inch exterior grade wood screws
- Drill
- 3/32 inch drill bit
- Phillips screwdriver
- Eight 2 inch exterior grade wood screws
- Tape measure
- Helper
Instructions
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1
Locate a good site on which to build the bat house. You want to affix it to a structure that will receive direct sunlight for at least eight hours in the morning. A south- or southeast-facing wall is suitable. Be certain the location is at least 10 feet off the ground but still low enough on the wall that it does not receive shade from the roof overhang. Do not situated the bat house over doors, windows or walkways.
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2
Install two 1x4 boards flat on the wall as spacers to hold the bat house away from the building to which it will be attached. Install the spacers horizontally, one across the top of where the bat house will be mounted and one across the bottom of the house's lower edge. Drill two pilot holes in each end of the spacers through the spacers and into the studs of the wall. Screw 2-inch wood screws into the pilot holes through the spacers and into the wall to hold the spacers securely.
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3
Drill four pilot holes across the upper board and four across the lower board of the bat house.
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Mount the bat house to the spacers. Have a helper hold the house in place, then screw eight 1 1/2 inch wood screws through the pilot holes and into the spacers.
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Tips & Warnings
Spacers are not required for wall mounting. However, bat guano will stain, so spacers are advisable because they hold the bat house far enough away from the wall that dropping guano should not hit the wall. If stained siding is not a problem, the bat house may be mounted directly to the wall. Bat houses can also be pole mounted. Poles can be preferable to structure mounting because of the need to orient the bat house for the required sunlight as well as keeping the guano away from the the structure. Consult the bat house manufacturer for the availability of a pole-mount kit for your bat house.
