MSM 1- Main Street Magazine "Blogging It!"

Build your own Bat House, and Birdhouse.

The Bat House

Building a bat house in your backyard may sound like a weird project for a large number of people, but not once you realize that one single little bat can gobble up to 1,000 mosquitoes within an hour. They also love to eat moth and other insects. Is it a much better option than using pesticides, since chemicals are actually killing more bats and birds than the insects themselves. Another benefit to have bats flying around your yard is the fact that they are a great help for the spreading of pollen. It could be very helpful if you own fruit trees.

How to Build a Bat House

Materials (makes one single chamber house)

Ø 1⁄4 sheet (2' x 4') 1⁄2" AC, BC or T1-11 (outdoor grade) plywood

Ø One piece 1" x 2" (3⁄4" x 11⁄2" finished) x 8' pine (furring strip)

Ø 20 to 30 exterior-grade screws, 1"

Ø One pint dark, water-based stain, exterior grade

Ø One pint water-based primer, exterior grade

Ø One quart flat, water-based paint or stain, exterior grade

Ø One tube paintable latex caulk

Ø 1" x 4" x 28" board for roof (optional, but highly recommended)

Ø Black asphalt shingles or galvanized metal (optional)

Ø 6 to10 roofing nails, 7⁄8" (if using shingles or metal roofing)

Recommended tools

Ø Table saw or handsaw

Ø Caulking gun

Ø Variable-speed reversing drill

Ø Paintbrushes

Ø Screwdriver bit for drill

Ø Hammer (optional)

Ø Tape measure or yardstick

Ø Tin snips (optional)

Construction

1. Measure and cut plywood into three pieces: 261⁄2" x 24" 161⁄2" x 24" 5" x 24"

2. Roughen inside of backboard and landing area by cutting horizontal grooves with sharp object or saw. Space grooves 1⁄4" to 1⁄2" apart, cutting 1⁄32" to 1⁄16" deep.

3. Apply two coats of dark, water-based stain to interior surfaces.

Do not use paint, as it will fill grooves.

4. Cut furring strip into one 24" and two 201⁄2" pieces.

5. Attach furring strips to back, caulking first. Start with 24" piece at top. Roost chamber spacing is 3⁄4".

6. Attach front to furring strips, top piece first (caulk first).

Leave 1⁄2" vent space between top and bottom front pieces.

7. Caulk all outside joints to further seal roost chamber.

8. Attach a 1" x 4" x 28" board to the top as a roof (optional, but highly recommended).

9. Apply three coats of paint or stain to the exterior (use primer for first coat).

10. Cover roof with shingles or galvanized metal (optional).

11. Mount on building (south or east sides usually best).

Optional modifications to the single-chamber bat house

1. Wider bat houses can be built for larger colonies. Be sure to adjust dimensions for back and front pieces and ceiling strip. A 3⁄4" support spacer may be needed in the center of the roosting chamber for bat houses over 24" wide to pre vent warping.

2. To make a taller version for additional temperature diversity, use these modifications: From a 2' x 8' piece of plywood, cut three pieces: 51" x 24", 33" x 24" and 12" x 24". Cut two 8'furring strips into one 24" and two 44" pieces. Follow assembly procedure above.

3. Two bat houses can be placed back-to-back, mounted between two poles, to create a three-chamber nursery house. Before assembly, cut a horizontal 3⁄4" slot in the back of each house about 9" from the bottom edge of the back piece to permit movement of bats between houses. Two pieces of wood, 1" x 4" x 41⁄4", screwed horizontally to each side, will join the two boxes. Leave a 3⁄4" space between the two houses, and roughen the wood surfaces or cover the back of each with plastic mesh (see item 5 below). Do not cover the rear exit slots with mesh.

One 1" x 4" x 34" vertical piece, attached to each side over the horizontal pieces, blocks light but allows bats and air to enter. A galvanized metal roof, covering both houses, protects the center roosting area from rain. Eaves should be about 3" in southern areas and about 11⁄2" in the north.

4. Ventilation may not be necessary in cold climates. In this case, the front should be a single piece 23" long. Smaller bat houses like this one will be less successful in cool climates. However, those mounted on buildings maintain thermal stability better and are more likely to attract bats.

5. Durable plastic mesh can be substituted to provide footholds for bats. Attach one 20" x 241⁄2" piece to backboard after staining interior, but prior to assembly.

TIPS

Ø DO NOT hang bat house in tree or shady area. Make sure it receives 6-8 hours of sunlight each day.

Ø Mount box at least 12 feet above the ground.

Ø Hanging the bat house near a pond or stream may increase your chances of attracting bats to use it.

Ø Bats usually will not use a bat house during the winter.

Ø Be sure to clean and do maintenance on your bat house each winter.

How to Build a Simple Bird House

Attracting birds to your backyard might be easier then you think. Birds love the simple things, food, water and shelter. By providing these basics you will attract more birds to your home.

Make a simple bird house from scraps of 1/2" and 1/4" wood; our example uses inexpensive plywood.

This is a nice gift for nature lovers, gardeners, or for someone special on Father's Day!

As you can from the picture at right, you can decorate the assembled bird house in many ways, from simple paint or stain to folk painting techniques finished with a non-toxic outdoor sealer.

Bird House Craft Supplies

hammer and 1/2" finishing nails
waterproof glue
sandpaper
drill with 1-3/8" hole saw and 1/4" drill bit
1/2" plywood in sizes shown in Figure 1, for two bottom sides and two inside supports
1/4" plywood for two roof sections, each 7" x 5"
1/4" plywood for the front and back sections, each 5-7/8 square<
5" length of dowel to finish the top, and 3" length of dowel for bird perch
optional: paint or stain

Instructions:

1. Before proceeding with each joint, start the nails, tapping into position, and then apply waterproof glue along the joint edge.

2. Butt and glue the two bottom sides together as shown in Fig.1

3. Next, glue and nail the back section to the bottom sides.

4. Glue and nail the inside supports; see Fig. 1 for positioning on the back.

5. Using the 1 3/8 hole saw, drill a hole in the front section so that the top of the hole is 2" down from a corner; see finished photo for detail. Use a 1/4" bit to drill a hole for the dowel perch, 5'8" below the bottom of the larger entrance hole. Sand the edges smooth, and sand all other inner parts of the bird house before nailing down the front.

6. Glue and nail the front to the bottom sides and the inside supports.

7. Position roof sections so that they meet, but do not butt at the top. Glue and nail the roof sections into place. The roof overhangs the sides, as shown.

8. Glue the 5" dowel in the channel between the roof sections to complete this joint.

9. Sand all surfaces.

10. Lastly, glue the 3" dowel into position as a perch.

Your bird house is now ready to stain or paint as desired. BE CAREFUL what paints you choose, you do not want any toxins leaking into the wood and making your birdhouse harmful. Keep it natural is always better.

TIPS:

Ø Hang your birdhouse in a safe area, high on a pole or in a tree.

Ø If you hang your birdhouse close to the feeder, and water supply (bird bath maybe?) you will be able to attract birds quicker.

Ø Try and keep the food, water and house away from a high traffic area in your yard, (where the dog or kids play for example) - a bird will want to know they are safe, especially when they have young ones.

As seen in the June Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

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