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Erin Cord 3. Don't use herbicides or pesticides Don't use herbicides or pesticides in your yard if you are attracting bats. If you spray these products in your yard, they could make it harder for bats to find insects to eat. Also, they will coat the insects that bats eat and the chemicals will end up in the bats' bodies. Damian White 4. Protect bats from domestic cats We love your cats. But attracting bats to your yard with a bat house is not a good match if you have outdoor cats. They love the bats, too. Cats are smart and they can learn where the bats will exit and enter the bat houses. Bats have to drop from the house to begin flight, and as they get close to the ground, the cats can strike. If cats do live nearby a potential bat house site, be sure to place your bat house even higher than recommended so that when bats drop to begin flight, they are still far above ground level. 7ennifer Barros 5. Wait for bats to find your bat house on their own DO NOT try to catch bats to put into your bat house. This practice will not convince bats to stay there and will endanger them from injury or stress in the process, Also, using lures such as guano, scents, or sounds does not work to attract bats to the house. MGambaRios 6. Give the bats space and observe from a distance Don't install flip -top boxes that you can open — nobody should disturb the houses once they are installed. If bats are inside, you could scare them. Also, remind people that it is never safe to touch bats or other wildlife they find on the ground, and if you have pets that may ignore this rule, make sure they are vaccinated. Bat House Designs The best bat house design depends on where you are located. The best bat house design for you depends on your climate and your environment. In temperate climates of work well and have been thoroughly studied. Tall boxes with at least four chambers can also work well. High temperatures and lots of sun can make overheating a serious problem, so in hot climates, modifications such as painting boxes a light color to reflect sunlight and providing shade structures are especially important (Arizona BaE ). You can find a lot more information on bat house recommendations here: Fioiroyd et al. 2_&2 To learn about regional variation in bat house design, check out the map below. Key factors in bat house designs: Wherever you are, key factors to consider as you choose your design include: materials, insulation, size of house, number of chambers, size of roosting spaces, color, number of boxes placed, where boxes are mounted, and what they are mounted on. We give detailed information about each factor in our list of building tips, below. These two bat house designs can help you follow bat house best practices. • four -chamber bat ho11,:r: • rocket box bat house We no longer certify purchased bat houses, but you should also follow our guidelines if you are buying a pre -made bat house or a kit, BAT HOUSE BUILDING TIPS: Best Practices • Materials Natural materials like wood are best because they have stable thermal properties and are easy for bats to grip. The wood should have no chemical finish on it (i.e., untreated wood), and you can buy rough -sawn wood or scratch it up to roughen the roosting surfaces and provide footholds for bats. Bening or me onto surfaces —bats, especially young bats, can become trapped in these materials. Bats will not use houses made of materials such as metal or smooth plastic where they cannot grip with their claws. If painting the exterior (see Color), use exterior -grade, water - based paint or stain. Do not paint the interior. • Insulation Temperature stability is important for artificial bat houses, as the natural tree cavity roosts they attempt to mimic are often very stable. Wide temperature extremes can reduce the chances bats will occupy a bat house; too cool and bats may not use it, and too hot can be lethal. Sealing all of the seams with caulk will prevent drafts and help maintain temperature stability, while adding vents on the lower third of the bat house, especially in warmer climates, can help reduce the chance of overheating.