A Bat House For 50

There are many reasons to build a bat house. Chief among them: A single little brown bat can devour 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour. There’s some debate about whether that’s a significant number, but look at it this way – that’s thousands fewer skeeters that can snack on you in an evening.

Here’s a building plan for a simple bat house that will hold up to 50 bats.

After you build a bat house, mount it at least 12 feet above the ground on a wooden or masonry building if possible. Place the house so it faces south in cooler climates or east in hotter climates.

Recommended tools:
 • Table saw or handsaw
 • Variable speed reversing drill
 • Phillips bit for drill
 • Tape measure or yardstick
 • Caulking gun
 • Paintbrushes
 • Tin snips (optional)
 • Hammer (optional)

Materials needed (makes one):

 • 1/4 sheet (2x4 feet) 1/2-inch ACX (outdoor grade) plywood
 • 1 piece 1-inch x 2-inch x 8-foot pine (furring strip)  
 • 20-30 1-inch coated deck or exterior grade Phillips screws
 • 1 pint dark, water-based stain, exterior grade
 • 1 pint water-based primer, exterior grade
 • 1 quart flat water-based paint or stain, exterior grade
 • 1 tube paintable latex caulk
 • 1-inch x 3-inch x 28-inch board for roof
 • Black asphalt shingles or galvanized metal (optional)
 • 6-10 7/8-inch roofing nails (optional)

6. Attach front pieces to furring strips, top piece first (don’t forget to caulk). Leave 1/2-inch vent space between top and bottom front pieces.

7. Caulk around all outside joints to further seal roosting chamber.

8. Attach a 1-inch x 4-inch x 28-inch board to the top as a roof.

9. Paint or stain exterior three times (use primer for first coat).

10. Cover roof with shingles or galvanized metal (optional).

^{Plans provided by Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org}