Want to evict bats from your house without leaving them homeless? Or maybe you just want to attract bats to your yard for some natural pest control? Put up a bat house!

General Bat House Recommendations

Design: Be sure you have the right design. Bat houses should have ¾ inch wide roosting chambers, open bottoms, rough surfaces, vents, solid roofs and landing pads. A variety of designs exist on the market and more information about building or buying your bat house is below.

Size: Single-chamber bat houses should only be used when installed on structures such as barns and buildings. Three or four chamber houses are recommended to provide more roosting options for bats. Back-to-back bat house installations can also be beneficial by providing increased thermal stability and wider temperature gradients.

Color: DO NOT PAINT YOUR BAT HOUSE DARK COLORS. Bat houses should be painted lighter colors like tan or gray with a water-based exterior grade paint. You may also choose to leave your house unpainted and seal with a water-based clear finish.

Location: Bat houses are best located in open areas where they can receive good solar exposure. Houses generally should not be placed on trees. Keep bat houses away from outdoor lighting, overhead wires, encroaching vegetation and busy roadways. More bat house installation tips are below.

Building Your Own Bat House

Bats are picky about their bat houses, so before building a home for bats, you need to find a proper design. Bat Conservation International has done a lot of work to find out what bats like best, and they provide free plans for building your own bat house. There are a lot of things to consider before building your bat house.

• More Information about Building Your Own Bat House
• Free Plans for a Four Chamber Bat House
• Free Plans for a Two Chamber Rocket Box for Bats
• Video on Building a Bat House

Buying a Bat House

Would you rather just buy a bat house? No problem, there are lots of options. Just be sure that any bat house you buy is a design that is certified by Bat Conservation International. We can’t recommend a place to buy a house, but here is a list of a few places to get you started.

Installing Your Bat House

Even though it seems like they will get too hot in Georgia, bat houses need sun. 6–8 hours of morning sun is best. It may be beneficial to allow your bat house to get some afternoon shade, especially in the warmest parts of the state. Your bat house should be about 12–20 feet above the ground and should be 20–30 feet from tree lines, structures and other obstacles. More tips about installing your bat house.

Need help with installation? If you are interested in hiring someone to install your bat house, here is a list of individuals/companies in Georgia who have been trained on proper installation of bat houses.

Getting Bats to Move In

Even if you put up the best bat house in the best location, we can’t promise bats will move in. Be patient! It often takes a while before you see any bats. They may already have a great home and may not need a new bat house. But there are things you can do to give your bat house a better chance to attract some tenants. Here are some good tips from Bat Conservation International.

I've Got Bats in My Bat House! Now What?

Got Bats in your Bat House? Want to know what kind they are? View this identification guide.

Want to help DNR learn more about bats in Georgia? You can help by participating in our Bat Roost Monitoring Project.

Plant a Bat Garden

Whether or not you choose to put up a bat house you can plant a bat garden! Just like all of Georgia’s wildlife, bats need native plants, too. Native plants will attract native insects for bats to eat. View a list of native plants you can plant to help attract bat food.