By constructing and properly placing a bat house, you can lure one of Nature's most voracious insect predators to your garden and backyard. A combination of plywood and cedar works best.
Plywood is lightweight and available in big, workable sheets.
Cedar is thicker for support and already dark, which eliminates any need to paint. Typically, a bat house is about 14 to 20 inches wide and 24 to 32 inches tall with a 3-inch landing pad, or floor, extended below the entrance. Bats need rough textured wood for the inside walls, partitions and landing area so they can get a grip and easily climb about. If the wood is not rough hewn, you can create the right texture by sanding the wood with coarse sandpaper. Cover the outside of the house with two to three coats of latex paint to protect it from moisture, air leaks and wood deterioration.