FAQ - Explaining the Bat House Colors

We have new bat house colors for 2013. After research and measuring temperatures we have adjusted our bat house colors this year. We now offer 3 shades of brown, Dark, Medium and Light. These colors help keep the temperature inside the bat house to the correct range of 85 to 100 degrees depending on your area. If you are in a cold area you want the Dark Brown. Most areas will be good with the Medium Brown and the hottest areas need the light brown colors.
We have placed all three shades of our two chamber bat houses in direct sunlight on a bright sunny day in May here in Georgia. We use a digital infrared thermometer to measure the temperatures inside and on the skin of the bat houses to see the effect of the radiant energy on each bat house. Results were good and support our color choices.
Enjoy this brief video and let us know if you have any questions!
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[@robburke8867]

Good to know! Appreciate the updates.

[@azimmey]

I accidentally evicted a bat that was living behind a sun ornament on my porch peak and I sure hope he comes back I bought him a beautiful bat house put it up so it’s six hours of sun in the morning and afternoon I really hope he comes back because the mosquitoes came back as soon as he left

[@JohnS916]

Excellent review. I learned something new and I would really like to install a bat house in our next home. What got me thinking about it, besides the fact I like bats and what they do to control insects naturally, there was a single bat roosting underneath our front doorway overhang. Cute little guy and my daughter got a kick out of seeing him/her up there at night. We got to follow his habits and discovered he arrived after sunset and hung out for a while before taking off and returning later that night. He would not stay during the day and I figured he stayed with his homies during daylight hours. The bat continued this routine for a couple weeks then disappeared. I was sad to see him go, my wife not so much, but then he returned for a visit for two nights. He left for a final time early this month and later on I wondered why he picked the spot he did and thought I could use that information towards finding the best location for a future bat house. Our front door doesn't face the street, in fact it is well off the street and any disturbances because it is in an interior courtyard, an 11' X 11' portico with an 18' arched "tunnel" and is the entrance point to the portico from the street. I doubt he would have taken up temporary residence if the front door was exposed to the streetside.

[@h4bats]

Very interesting. That was probably a male or a juvenile (or both) and would stay in a larger roost during the day. When coming out to feed he likely found a "honey hole" full of insects near by and used your location as a place he could digest his meal a bit, relax before kicking off for seconds and/or going back home. Now that it is winter, he has probably moved on to his winter roosting location for a nice long nap.

[@shanesmaineshop]

Great video, I plan on making one soon, Thanks for sharing.

[@RicStaR2410]

Surely the houses would be much warmer with bats in them?

[@h4bats]

The bats will help regulate their temperature by moving around. During the hotter times then can move to the vented areas where it will be cooler. Also, bats do not produce "excess heat" unlike us poor saps that produce heat all the time, bats can use the heat around them (like a reptile) to help regulate their body temperature, or they can generate their own heat. The more they can use the environmental heat around them to maintain a normal body temp (which is around 100 to 104 degrees or so) the less energy they have to burn to maintain their body heat. The less energy they burn, the more fat they preserve meaning the more time they can hibernate without eating in the winter. It's complex and interesting (even amazing) but they do love the heat, just not too hot. After about 100 degrees they suffer just like we do and at about 110 degrees they can begin to die from the heat. This is why we suggest larger bat houses, it provides more range of temperatures giving the bats more places to move around to find where the temp is "just right". Thanks for loving bats!

[@RicStaR2410]

@@h4bats fantastic information. Thanks for letting me know. I didn't know much of this. It is fascinating to me. I'm actually looking into making a nice big bat house to put on the side of my house. I'm researching endlessly to get the correct information as to make the most suitable house for them. I do love bats. Thanks again.

[@deborahbembry2610]

I always thought bats like it cooler since caves are cool and that is where bats like to go.

[@h4bats]

When hibernating, bats drop their body temp down to their surroundings. For every hour a bat stays active instead of hibernating, they lose about enough fat to sustain them for 1 week. So, don't disturb the bats! In the summer, the cave ceilings where the bats are roosting can become very hot. With that much body mass together the heat can build quickly to sustain the roost. In Bracken Cave near San Antonia TX the cave temp can top 100 degrees!

[@garyhaley3072]

That's true with the deadly Canadian ice bat. A friend of mine was up there hunting and was killed by one. If your out in the woods they will stalk you and when you have to take a poop they will zoom in and fly up your butt and freeze you to death

[@Roonnam]

@@garyhaley3072 its important to lift the sack while pooping.. makes it impossible for them to land..

[@kylebarfield2603]

I live in coastal Ga. As you know, Ga gets crazy hot in the summer and down in the teens during the winter. Is the "middle brown" the best option for all seasons or should we have a darker one also for the winter? I would assume they aren't very active in the winter but I want them to stay. I know very little about bats and their habits so your help is much appreciated.

[@h4bats]

The middle brown will generally do well for all of GA. We are in middle GA ourselves and always use the medium shade except under certain circumstances. If the bat house is going to be in full sun all day and there are other factors such as being mounted on either a metal building or another dark structure that itself will absorb and retain heat, we'll sometimes go with the lighter color. The black would never be needed in GA and you don't need to worry about the bats in the winter. Most bats will either migrate and hibernate or migrate further south to stay active.

[@kylebarfield2603]

Thanks! I'm originally from Macon. Where are y'all located?

[@EdPalmatier]

What color should I use in North Carolina?

[@h4bats]

Check your average temperature for your area and read the guidelines on this page estore.habitatforbats.org/choosing-your-bat-house/ (Yes, we need to make the font larger, we are trying to redesign our store page and it is kind of ugly right now) Depending on your average temp, you are probably looking for medium color, possible slightly darker than a medium shade. Bats prefer the temp between 85 and 100 degree F. So think of a white car and a black car sitting in the sun, the color doesn't matter so much as the shade of color. You're trying to choose a color that will let the bat house heat up early in the morning, but then not get so hot in the sun (like black would) that it goes way over 100 degree everywhere in the bat house. Larger bat houses are more successful because it will contain a range of temps inside making somewhere in the bat house acceptable to the bats. Thanks for loving bats!

[@Ryan-ru2fm]

What Bat house would be good for Louisville, KY? Summertime temps stays in 90-100s with humidity.

[@h4bats]

Larger bat houses tend to moderate heat load better and always provide a suitable range inside. So a 3 or 4 chamber is a good choice. The real question is, how light or dark should it be painted. For that area, you are probably looking for a medium shade of paint. If it gets sun all day a medium or a little lighter, if it gets shade half the day, maybe a little darker medium. Thanks for loving bats!

[@EJConrad]

paint half white half black?

[@garynelson860]

If I add a bat house to my martin house pole will the martin birds drive away the bats? Or will the noise/vibrations from a windmill bother bats in a house mounted to the windmill frame?

[@h4bats]

I would be curious if the martin house pole was sturdy enough to support a bat house properly. Most of those poles I have seen are light weight in comparison to what a bat house would mount on. However, if the pole is secure enough I see no problem with the bat house being below the martin houses provided it is still at least 10 to 12 feet off the ground. The bats and birds are largely active at different times of the day so there should be no conflict. - Thanks for loving bats!

[@patrapper7367]

Trying to understand if bats like 80-100 then at night it gets about 65-70. Do they make their own heat flying?

[@h4bats]

Bats, when resting in the day, can conserve energy when it is hot, they don't have to heat their own bodies. Bats, while still mammal, are markedly not like us in may ways. They can drop their body temperature to the surrounding environment when hibernating, if we could reproduce that ourselves, the maximum surgery times could be greatly increased. When they are flying at night, just like us, expending energy to fly is bodily activity and will produce more body heat. When needed, they can regulate their body temperature just like we do. Being "hot" while resting is simply a mechanism they can use to keep from burning their own body fat instead.

[@josephcardoni5183]

Hello! I have bats inside my old 1870 home. I am pretty sure they are entering from my attic somewhere where it's nice and hot. I don't mind them coming and going at all. It's when they get down to my living quarters that concerns me. I personally safely remove at least one bat each month. However, they do need to stay in "their" space. : ) Will a bat house persuade the bats to move away from my house, and make these easier access bat houses their new home? Thank you!

[@h4bats]

A bat house will not suddenly cause bats to stop roosting in one area and move. A bat house (or houses) should be part of the exclusion plan to get the bats out of your home. If you can live with them a common method is to go ahead and put up bat houses in suitable locations, even on your house itself if the area is good and then exclude the bats from the home. Exclusions typically should NOT be done between about April to mid August depending on your area because bats may have pups that can't fly yet. You'll use netting or other devices to allow the bats to leave but not return. Bats will exit, crawl down and leave but when they return they tend to land just below their entry point. This means a net hanging down and secured 18" or more will prevent that bats from returning. Or, wait until January, visually verify the bats have left then close up all the gaps. Bats do not chew but they will pull, push, shove and squeeze through. So you can use stuff like synthetic steel wool (so it won't rust) or vent materials to stuff gaps closed and still leave air to flow. Just make sure it is secured so they can't push or pull it out. Good luck and keep us posted!

[@josephcardoni5183]

Great information, thank you! We removed all the insulation in the attic and found a few areas in the soffit where we think they might be entering. We are going to wait another month to make those repairs and blow in new insulation. We are going to visually inspect for remaining bats, but I am going to add a few one way valves just in case we miss any. I will keep you posted! Thank you so much for the great information!

[@dougc3086]

Since bees like the same as the bats; I was wondering if this makes any sense whatsoever. If you used solar power on the roof of the bat house and a capacitor and some resistors/voltage regulator and a handful of Leds; maybe a photo cell. What would happen if the bat house/box had lights inside at night. Would that make the box less inviting for bees and wasps if the inside of the box was lit up while the bat were out at night? I was also wondering if the vents should have screens over them like robber screens used in a bee hut to keep strangers from entering. Just thoughts, I have no idea if they make any sense. I was just thinking if the Leds might get the wasps to go out and fly around the bat box at night and then the bat could catch them. That is what I was thinking. I have subscribed and hope to see some tips and tricks for getting rid of wasps. I have not seen many nurseries lately, and I wanted to know more about them. Thanks

[@h4bats]

I think the bat houses as designed are fine for bats to use. Best not to over think things, just see where bats are roosting and try to mimic those conditions. They could roost in street lamps, but they don't etc...

[@Roonnam]

wasps are atrackted to woodsmell..

[@richardedmundwhittle]

idk

[@harveyhanson2661]

In Minnesota, what is best color, do you have the paint type and color code (i.e. What paint to buy)

[@h4bats]

Minnesota, go with a very dark brown or black.

[@bigmac3006]

I live dead center in Illinois, which color would you recommend? Also how many chambers? Great video.

[@h4bats]

3 or 4 chambers, probably a medium to medium dark color bat house.

[@jamiel.2638]

I live in Southern California where summer lasts from June to October and temps can go into the low 100's for a week at a time. There are bats in the area so I know they can handle it, but should I put the box in an area that has some afternoon shade? Also can I paint it white? Thanks.

[@h4bats]

Bat houses should get morning sun and sun through the day at least until noon to 2PM depending on the area. Shade in the evening is not necessarily a problem. Bats prefer a "room temperature" between 85 and 100 degrees. Unless the area is VERY hot on average, white would not be the best color as it may remain too cool in the mornings not warming up quickly.

[@franklinmichael671]

Will bats kill bees? If I have a bee hive can I get a bat house without loosing the bees?

[@h4bats]

Bats and bees are active at different times. Bees are going to sleep when bats are waking up so there is little to no exposure to the bees. Next, bats don't like getting stung any more than we do, so they avoid bees.

[@franklinmichael671]

***** That's so obvious I don't know how I didn't think about it hahah, thanks.

[@stefansehnbruch9521]

Habitat For Bats Being both apiarist and active in local bat protection I wonder the other way round how bats manage to avoid the bees? When I check my hives in the evening I often experience the bats already flying when the last bees are returning to the hives, so I am worried the bats might have painful if not fatal encounters.

[@loubleu901]

What colour should I paint if living in the UK

[@h4bats]

That would depend what is your average July high temperature. It's the shade (how dark or light) not the specific color. You want a shade that absorbs enough sunlight to keep it warm, but not over heats. Inside the bat house you are looking for temps between 85 and 100 degrees (30 to 38 C) in about the middle of it. If avg temps are high (over 85 / 30 C) , go with a medium to light color, if avg temps are low (below 85 / 30 C) go with a darker color.

[@johnthomas4435]

I made a bat house out of cedar, what kind of paint should i use. John

[@Roonnam]

you don't want to use commercial paint.. that stuff is designed to create a coat or something and then crack up..when the wood expands.. just make sure the water runs of and you don't need paint.. if you can't keep the wood dry.. you burn the outerlayer of the wood into charcoal.. charcoal will hold water but it won't rot.. stuff might rot that got into the charcoal but not the charcoal.. so how to create charcoal .. you do so by heating the object without oxygen able to join the fun.. you wrap it up in foil throw it in a fire.. or burn it in a vertical tube.. and close of the lower air intake..

[@michaelstaropoli5180]

Thanks for clearing temp situations, but I live in NY state and summers are 90 + and winters are zero to teens with good sun even in winter...so...what color should I use? Dark brown or medium? Thanks

[@h4bats]

You only need be concerned with temps in July. Winter temps do not play into it as that's when bats are away hibernating or enjoying the weather in Mexico. For that area, I would expect to see medium to dark colors. Look for your Average July Temperature.

[@michaelstaropoli5180]

Thanks again

[@nomadismileseeker6611]

I’ve gotten confused through information overload. I live in Southeastern Texas where we see temperatures as hot as 110° in the summer with full sun. Would you recommend the light brown color? Because everyone says that our region should be like Georgia and we might need the medium brown to maintain 100°. My chicken coop reaches 100° during the summer.

[@h4bats]

Sounds like you need a light color, but it's the average temp that matters. If you only have a few days at 100+ degrees, bats can cope by moving down to the ventilated area. Check out estore.habitatforbats.org and we have information about selecting colors. You can email too with your location and we can help pick a color.

[@KillaCam920]

What color for central Indiana?

[@h4bats]

Probably a medium brown or whatever color, the shade, how dark/light, is what matters. Bats prefer temps between 85 and 100 degrees.

[@JamMastaJew]

Do you color/darken the interior of the house? I've seen building instructions online that say to stain the interior surfaces before assembling, and then stain the exterior later. But I can't figure out why the interior color would matter. Do you have any insight into the matter?

[@h4bats]

We do not. The thought process is that it will make the inside of the bat house darker AND/OR it will improve the longevity of the bat house. I dismiss the first idea, bats seems just fine roosting in many places that are not painted a dark color and over time, they will darken it themselves. So far as longevity, so long as proper materials are used and it is inside the bat house, it should survive fine for many years, paint or stain will make little difference. I also don't like the idea of the bats coming in contact with paints when raw wood is a natural surface.

[@JamMastaJew]

@@h4bats thank you! I guess the intention is kind of like how you're supposed put a veneer on both sides of cabinet doors even if you don't care about the interior's aesthetics, it keeps both surfaces reacting to temperature and moisture evenly, preventing the door from warping. But a stain alone does nothing to protect wood, it just adds some pigmentation (right?). Thank you for confirming my suspicion that it would serve no purpose inside. FWIW it would be a water-based stain, the instructions say oil-based could give off harmful vapors. But yeah, at best I would think it'd be a waste of time and stain.

[@connieneilson9300]

Hello! I’m super excited to get a few bat houses and place them around our barns!! We live in Eastern Kansas and I’m wondering if I should hold off mounting the houses until after winter, since they won’t likely be around in the winter time. What would you suggest?

[@h4bats]

Any time you have the time is a good time. If you are still looking for pole ideas, 2" ID Schedule 40 "black" pipe from any local plumbing supply store is a good option. At 21 feet high it is perfect once buried and very sturdy. We also make brackets for use the those poles or you can work up your own using fence parts and/or metal strap.

[@vegannursepractitioner9629]

wouldn't that be too hot for the babies up on top and delivering moms?

[@h4bats]

Vegan Nurse Practitioner The pups will move around too, but typically tolerate the temps well as it keeps them from having to produce body heat on their own. They can also cling to their mothers to move around during the day. At night, being at the top is not a problem for them.

[@vegannursepractitioner9629]

Very interesting, would it make since to put a house on a chimney? Thats the clearest place we have, I'm glad you talked about hawks sitting on tree limbs as I would have thought putting it in a tree would have been a 'good' idea. Also, do they go south for the winter?

[@h4bats]

Generally, on a chimney can be fine. The primary goal is to make sure the house is facing S to SE and gets enough sun to warm up. If you burn early and often it might not as good of an idea if the smoke drifts down and into the house during those warmer days when the smoke won't rise properly. Bats can go south or go find a cave in large colonies and hibernate. Mexican Free-tails in Texas are known to head south to Mexico for the winters while little brown bats in the NE may congregate and winter in a cave.

[@AnthraxMegadeth]

this house is pregnant with music