Bat Houses

Bat houses are a somewhat lesser known pest control option. Bat houses serve two purposes, first the provide a home for the bats, second by housing the bats there will be fewer yard and garden pests around the home, making it more comfortable to spend time outside without the worry of pests making an appearance. What is known is that one brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes or other mosquito-sized insects in an hour.

The best bat house is the one that is made with specific bat house plans and with the bats in mind and the hopes of eliminating pests in the area.
To build a bat house, be sure it is not to short as they will not be very appealing to the bats and leave it alone in search for something better. Bats prefer close, warm spaces, to do this bat houses should be placed in the sun and about 12 to 15 feet from the ground; this height should keep predators from reaching them.

Many website will offer information on maintaining bat houses, as well as free bat house plans to begin housing them right away. To begin with bat houses need to be about two feet tall, with four or more chambers that are 20 inches tall and 14 inches wide with a landing area just below the entrance. It has been researched that the taller and wider the bat house is the better the chance of attracting bats.

Once the bat house is finished and it is ready to be placed, where it is mounted is vital and plays a role in the temperature inside the house. The best choice is to attach it to a pole or structure that is free of obstructions and receive plenty of sunlight. Painting the inside of bat houses black will help to absorb the heat making it comfortable for the bats and a safe place for when baby bats are born, as it needs they need the heat in the very beginning.

The directions on how to build a bat house are fairly simple, plywood or cedar are best with the rough side of the wood on the inside, with care being taken to caulk all the seams paying special attention to the roof. When painting the house, the outside should be black or dark brown to maintain the heat needed. On the inside of the house, a dark, water-based stain should be used, but only after creating scratches or grooves in the wood. These grooves, or by using mesh gives the bat a surface to hold on to.