6 Best Bat Houses for Colonies
Discover the top 6 triple-chamber bat houses. These durable models are built to shelter large colonies for decades, aiding local bat conservation.
You spend weeks nurturing your squash plants, only to see cucumber beetles move in overnight. Or maybe you can’t enjoy a summer evening on the porch without being swarmed by mosquitoes. Relying on sprays feels like a losing battle, but attracting natural predators is a long-term solution that works while you sleep. A single bat can eat thousands of insects a night, and a thriving colony provides an unmatched pest control service, free of charge. To attract that kind of workforce, you need to offer the right housing—and for a serious colony, a triple-chamber bat house is the only way to go.
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Why Triple Chamber Houses Attract Larger Colonies
A single-chamber bat house is like a studio apartment. It works for a few bachelors, but it’s not where a family wants to raise its young. A triple-chamber house, on the other hand, is a multi-level home with room for everyone and, more importantly, different temperature zones.
This is the critical factor most people miss. A mother bat needs to keep her pups warm, but she might need a cooler spot to rest during the heat of the day. The multiple, parallel chambers create a thermal gradient. The sun-facing front chamber gets warmest, the middle chamber is moderate, and the rear chamber stays coolest. This allows bats to move around to regulate their body temperature, which is essential for raising a healthy nursery colony of hundreds.
More chambers also mean more surface area. Bats don’t use the open volume of a box; they cling to the walls. By adding two more interior walls, you effectively triple the available roosting space without making the house unwieldy. This increased capacity is what allows a small group of bats to grow into a large, pest-devouring colony over the years.
BCM’s The Bat Can: Certified for High Occupancy
When you see something is "Bat Conservation International Certified," pay attention. It means the design isn’t just a guess; it’s based on decades of research into what bats actually need to thrive. BCM’s "The Bat Can" is one of the most well-known certified designs, and for good reason. It gets the fundamentals perfect.
The design is intentionally tall and relatively narrow. This height creates an excellent thermal gradient from top to bottom, giving bats plenty of options for finding their ideal temperature. The interior surfaces are properly grooved—not covered in mesh, which can trap and injure bats—and the chamber spacing is the recommended 3/4 inch.
Think of BCI certification as a guarantee that you’re not wasting your time or money. You could build your own or buy a cheap, uncertified box, but you risk it sitting empty for years. A certified design like this one is a smart investment that dramatically increases your odds of attracting a colony quickly.
Ken’s Triple Cell: Amish-Crafted Cedar Durability
There’s a certain peace of mind that comes with buying something built to last, and that’s exactly what you get with a bat house from Ken’s. These are typically Amish-crafted, which means the focus is on solid construction and high-quality materials. You won’t find flimsy staples or cheap pine here.
Ken’s houses are made from cedar, which is the ideal wood for outdoor structures. It’s naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insects. While a pine bat house might look good for a year or two before it starts to warp and degrade, a well-built cedar box will still be standing strong in twenty years. The interior is rough-sawn, giving bats and their pups a secure, textured surface to grip.
This is a classic "buy it once, cry it once" scenario. You’ll pay more upfront for this level of craftsmanship and material quality. But the alternative is replacing a cheaper box every few years, disturbing any potential residents and starting the waiting game all over again. For a long-term farm asset, durability is paramount.
Big Bat Box Triple Chamber: Maximum Colony Space
If your goal is to house the largest colony possible, then size is what matters. The Big Bat Box brand focuses on just that—maximizing interior roosting space to accommodate several hundred bats. These houses are often significantly wider and taller than standard models, offering a massive amount of surface area for a growing nursery colony.
This isn’t a house you casually hang from a tree branch. Its size and the potential weight of a full colony demand a serious mounting solution. You’ll need to install it on the side of a barn or a sturdy outbuilding, or on a dedicated 4×6 post sunk deep in concrete. Don’t underestimate the weight.
The tradeoff for maximum capacity is the installation effort. But if you have a significant pest problem across several acres, establishing a super-colony is worth the work. A larger house provides more thermal stability and more protection from predators, making it a highly desirable home for bats looking to settle down for the long haul.
Uncle Dunkel’s Three Chamber: A Proven Design
Sometimes the best choice is the one that has been trusted for years. Uncle Dunkel’s is a name that has been around in the bat house world for a long time, and their three-chamber model is a workhorse. It’s a design that has proven itself time and time again, attracting colonies across the country.
The design incorporates all the key features recommended by bat biologists. It has the correct chamber spacing, a grooved interior, an extended landing pad below the entrance, and ventilation slots to prevent overheating. It’s a BCI-certified model that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel—it just perfects it.
For the hobby farmer who values reliability over bells and whistles, this is a fantastic option. You know you’re getting a product based on sound science that has a long track record of success. It’s a dependable, straightforward tool for bringing beneficial wildlife to your property.
Fly By Night’s Poly Bat House: Maintenance-Free
Wood is a great material, but it has one major drawback: it eventually breaks down. For those of us with a never-ending list of farm chores, the idea of a "set it and forget it" bat house is incredibly appealing. That’s where poly lumber, a material made from recycled plastics, comes in.
A poly bat house from a reputable maker like Fly By Night will never rot, warp, crack, or fade. It requires zero painting or sealing, and pests like carpenter bees can’t chew through it. The interior surfaces are molded with permanent grooves, providing excellent grip for the life of the house. This is the ultimate low-maintenance option.
The main concern with plastic used to be heat, but modern designs have solved this. They use lighter colors and incorporate excellent ventilation to ensure the house stays within the ideal temperature range for a nursery colony. While the initial cost is higher than wood, the total lack of maintenance over its multi-decade lifespan makes it a very practical choice for the busy farmer.
Evergreen Triple Chamber: Classic Grooved Cedar
The Evergreen model represents the classic, reliable standard for wooden bat houses. Made from cedar for its natural weather resistance, its most important feature is the grooved interior. This is a non-negotiable element for a successful bat house.
Some manufacturers cut corners by using plastic mesh stapled to the interior walls. This is a major design flaw. Pups can get their claws caught in the mesh, leading to injury or death. Worse, the staples can rust and the mesh can detach, falling on the bats below. A properly designed house will always have horizontal grooves or rough-sawn wood to provide a safe, permanent grip.
This model sticks to that proven principle. It’s a simple, effective design that prioritizes the safety and needs of the bats. It’s a solid, no-nonsense choice that provides a safe and durable home, ensuring that once a colony moves in, they’ll be safe and secure for years to come.
Siting Your Bat House for Maximum Success
You can buy the best bat house in the world, but if you put it in the wrong place, it will remain an empty, expensive box. Proper placement is more than half the battle, and it’s where most people fail. Getting it right from the start saves you years of waiting and wondering.
The ideal location isn’t a mystery; it just follows a few key rules based on a bat’s needs for warmth and safety. Your checklist should be:
- Sun Exposure: Mount the house where it will get at least 6-8 hours of direct morning sun. In cooler climates, all-day sun is even better. This warmth is vital for a nursery colony.
- Height: Place the house 12 to 20 feet off the ground. This keeps it safe from ground predators like cats and raccoons.
- Clear Flight Path: Ensure there are no obstructions like tree branches or wires within 20 feet of the house. Bats need a clear drop to take flight and an open approach to return.
- Location: The best spots are on a dedicated pole or the side of a building. Avoid mounting on a tree, as it provides easy access for predators and is often too shady.
Finally, be patient. Bats are creatures of habit, and it can take them a season or two to discover and trust a new roost. Install your house in the fall or winter so it’s ready for them when they emerge in the spring. Once they find it, you’ll have a permanent, self-sustaining pest control team on your farm.
Choosing a high-quality, triple-chamber bat house is more than just buying a garden accessory; it’s an investment in the ecological health of your farm. By providing a safe, spacious home, you’re not just getting rid of pests—you’re partnering with nature to create a more balanced and resilient homestead. The right house, placed in the right spot, will pay you back for decades with quieter evenings and healthier crops.
