Catch the nightly spectacle of thousands of bats emerging en masse from the UF Bat Houses, the largest occupied bat houses in the world! Every evening, about 15 minutes after dusk, an estimated 500,000 bats fly out to feast on 2.5 billion bugs before returning to their houses at dawn. The bat show is free to observe and a must-see if you’re in Gainesville, Florida!
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Location
Museum Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611
The University of Florida’s Bat Barns and Bat House are located on the north side of Museum Road, across from Lake Alice on the UF campus. There’s a free parking lot adjacent to the Bat House field.
Cost: Free!
When to visit
Summer is the best time to visit because it’s the buggiest season, which means more bat activity. We arrived about 10 minutes before sunset on a Friday in July, and I’d recommend doing the same. There was already a small crowd gathering (so exciting!), and the parking lot was full by sunset. Seeing a couple bats fluttering around is fun, but watching thousands stream out of the bat houses at once is a much more special and eerie sight – it almost looks like a murmuration.
@yallwaterfall#bats #gainesville #florida #ufbathouses ♬ Night of the Vampire – Roky Erickson
History
Bats have been longtime residents of the UF campus. The first bat colony settled (it tickles me to type that!) in the attic of Johnson Hall in 1987. After a fire displaced the bats, they began roosting in the bleachers of James G. Pressly Stadium. Bat biologist Dr. Merlin Tuttle reached out to the university, suggesting a protected habitat. As a result, the bat houses were built in 1991, 2009, and 2017 to accommodate the growing colony.
Bat Facts
I’ll never claim to be a bat expert, but I did read on the University of Florida’s website that the most common species of bats living in the UF Bat Houses is the Brazilian free-tailed bat. These strong flyers can reach altitudes of up to 9,000 feet and travel as far as 25-30 miles from their homes each night. They’re absolutely adorable too — like furry, winged chicken nuggets with big smiles!
What’s Nearby?
- The Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rainforest – stroll through a habitat of tropical plants and over 50 species of butterflies!
- Sweetwater Wetlands Park – A manmade habitat with birds and alligators conveniently located near the University of Florida
- Payne’s Prairie State Park – Florida’s first state preserve, home to alligators, birds, horses and bison.
I was so happy to see a crowd gathering to witness the bats — these little night flyers are iconic!
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Disclosure: This following contains an affiliate link, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my link, at no cost to you.