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The Good Guys (Spring, 1996)
Bats Are The Good Guys Bats Are The Good Guys, Part Two A Face Only A Mother Could Love Build a Better Bat House! Colorado Bat Species DOW Working For Wildlife: The Bats/Inactive Mines Project

• 2' by 4' sheet cdx (outdoor grade) plywood 
• 8-feet of 1" by 2" furring strip
• 20" by 22 1/2" piece of l/8" mesh hdpe (plastic) netting. Do not use metal window screening. 
• 30-40 1 1/4" multipurpose (drywall) screws 
• 5/16" staples 
• 1 tube acrylic caulk 
• 1 pint exterior latex paint

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1. Measure and cut plywood into three pieces: 26.5" by 24" (back); 16.5" by 24" (front-top); 5" by 24" (front-bottom) 
2. Measure and cut furring strip into one 24" length and two 20 1/4" lengths 
3. Screw back to furring strips, caulking first, placing 24" piece first along top, and shorter lengths along sides. Leave bottom open.
4. Staple the netting to inside surface of back (between furring strips), starting at the bottom. Be sure netting lies flat (curve down) and does not pucker. 
5. Screw front panels to furring strips, starting with top piece and caulking first. Leave a 1/2" vent space between top and bottom panels. 
6. Caulk around outside joints if needed to seal roosting chamber. 
7. Attach a 4" by 28" board to the top as a roof, if desired. 
8. Paint exterior with at least two coats (preferably brown).

Mount the finished house at least 12 feet from the ground, on a pole, wall, or tree with a south-facing exposure where it will get six or more hours of direct sun. Bats will only use the house in the summer and can tolerate temperatures as high as 110° F. For further information and other bat house options, consult The Bat House Builder's Handbook, available from Bat Conservation International.

 

 

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These plans are provided courtesy of Bat Conservation International, a non-profit organization dedicated to bat conservation, bat research, and public education. Founded in 1982, BCI works to transform public perceptions about bats, protect threatened and endangered bats, and preserve valuable ecosystems. To obtain information and membership information contact Bat Conservation International, P.O. Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716, 1-800/538-BATS (2287).

Next: Colorado Bat Species

(The information contained in this issue of Colorado's Wildlife Company was accurate at the time of original publication. Situations and circumstances described, staff positions, contact information, and dates of some events may have changed in the interim. Present knowledge and understanding of biological and behavioral facts and information may also be different, now, than presented here.)