How to Build a Bat House

Tap to Read ➤ Kashmira Lad

Bats are peaceful nocturnal creatures that live in the hollows of trees and in caves as well. But due to the loss of natural habitat, they are often left without any choice of where to go. Feel the need to help these creatures, and ever wondered how to build a bat house?

Bats love to hang out in caves, and prefer to enjoy their environment in a peaceful way. They appear for food only at night, and go back to rest in the caves or in the hollows of trees. Some of them are even known to spend their time in trees, under bridges, and even in old buildings.

Having bat houses can be a boon, especially if you are living in an area that is close to a wooded area, or those locations that are infested with mosquitoes. This is solely because bats love mosquitoes and gnats on their menu card, and a single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in a single night.

Bats need a warm and cozy place for their young, and prefer to live in enclosed areas. When making a bat house, one would need to remember that they love tight and narrow spaces, and an apt idea would be to make one that resembles the bark or a tree trunk. The sides of the house need to be caulked to preserve the heat within.

Things Required

Plywood sheets (½ inch) Pencil Measuring tape Furring strip Screwdriver Circular saw Caulk and caulking gun Stain-exterior-grade Deck or exterior-grade screws (1¼ inch)

Procedure

First, you need to cut three pieces of the ½-inch plywood. Use the given dimensions: 26½ by 24 inches, 16½ by 24 inches, and 5 by 24 inches. Draw lines with the help of the pencil around ½-inch apart from the entire length of the back piece (this is the 26½ by 24 inch piece).

Use the circular saw and cut along the lines. Saw this wood to a depth of about 1/16-inch. Apply a dark stain on the interiors of the plywood.

Cut the furring strips into the following measurements: 1 piece that is 24 inches in length and two pieces that are 20½ inches in length. Next, attach two shorter furring strips to the short side. Attach the 24-inch strip to the long side of the back piece.

Next, attach the 16½-inch by 24-inch plywood to the furring strip. You will need to leave about ½ an inch gap for ventilation. Attach the 5-inch by 24-inch piece, below the top piece. This will give you a 11½ inches part, which is the exposed back piece area. This will act as the climbing point for the bats. They can use it to land and enter the chamber.

Once you are through with all this, you will need to caulk the joints and seal the house. You will also need to attach a 1-inch by 3-inch board for the roof area. Paint the exteriors and mount this on the roof of a shed.

Bats are known to look for new homes during the late spring season. Therefore, ensure that your bat house is ready by late winter or as the season changes.