Fun Family Project: How to Build a Bat House

By: Chrystle Fiedler, This Old House online

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. 2-by-4-foot section of ½-inch exterior-grade plywood

2. One 6-foot 1x2

3. ½-inch deer netting

4. Exterior latex paint (black and another dark color)

5. Low-VOC adhesive caulk

6. 1-inch deck screws

7. ⅜-inch staples

8. 3½-inch deck screws

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- Straightedge
- Combination square
- Spring clamps
- Safety glasses
- Jigsaw
- French curve and circle templates
- Drill/driver fitted with ¼-inch drill bit
- Caulking gun
- Paintbrush (2-inch)
- Foam roller (4-inch)
- Scissors
- Staple gun
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Photo: Wendell T. Webber

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12

11: Hang it up!

3 to 4 hours
About $60

Difficulty: Moderate There are few parts, and they fit together easily, but cutting the bat shape might be a challenge

Age Range: 7 and up

Bats are underrated. Besides being the only mammal that flies, most North American bats are nocturnal insectivores, which means they feed on night-flying insects—especially mosquitoes. In fact, a small bat can devour more than 600 mosquitoes in a single hour. They also eat beetles, wasps, and moths. So encouraging bats to nest near your house is a natural way to keep your yard bug-free.

This bat house is easy to make in an afternoon. Its shallow construction is designed specifically to attract bats, which like cramped, dark spaces for nesting. Kids can do lots of the work involved in making this bat house, including measuring, driving screws, and painting. Parents need to help out with the sawing. Once you’ve finished it, hang your bat house high in a sunny corner of your backyard, and the bats will soon find a stylish new home.

• Learn about common North American Bats
• Download templates for this project
• Share a project you’ve built