How to Get Rid of Bats

• All bats have the same general shape and webbed wing structure.
• The larger bats (“megabats”) may carry a wingspan of up to five feet and a weight of slightly more than two pounds. The smaller type (called “microbats”) may have a wingspan of about six inches and weigh less than one ounce.
• A bat’s flight is more sporadic and swooping than a bird’s movements.
• The face may resemble that of a Chihuahua.
• Some bats live together in colonies typically ranging from 100-1,000 individuals. Others are solitary and live alone.
• Roughly 40-50 bat species call the U.S. home, and more than 1,200 species have been discovered worldwide.

There is a balance between a female bat’s slow reproductive rate (one to two babies, called pups, each year) and a bat’s fairly long life (up to 20 years). Yet because females produce few young, and because of predators like hawks, owls, and even snakes, their populations are prone to thinning numbers or extinction.

Mating season occurs during fall, with males and females meeting to breed in hibernation sites. After the pups are born during springtime, groups come together to form maternal colonies. The mothers leave at night to find food and water and return later to nurse. The pups fly away after one month, usually in the summer. Because the young are unaccustomed to flying and to the area in general, they’re the ones most likely to stray into a human residence by accident.

If you are frightened by bats, know that many other people feel the same. Yet when you understand a few of their behaviors, you’ll realize why they’re generally harmless to humans:

• Most North American bats are natural predators to insects. The common bat may eat up to 600 mosquitoes or more per hour – or nearly half its body weight in bugs during a single night. This can help farmers save money on pesticides.
• Why does a bat screech? The technical term is echolocation – a kind of sonar that allows bats to shriek and listen for the echo as a method of nighttime navigation to avoid objects and locate food.
• Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Due to their nocturnal nature, you’ll only see them between dusk and dawn. If a bat flies into your home during daytime, it will be as surprised as you are – and will want to find an exit.

If you encounter one nearby, there is a definite reason. One or more of the following likely applies to your home:

• You live close to a food source. Remember that bats eat insects such as mosquitoes and moths, as well as several kinds of plants and fruits.
• Your home and/or your area offers useful shelter. Darkened and well-shaded locations give bats a place to roost (hang upside-down) during daytime. Indoor roosting sites could include attic space, a barn, roof voids, porch eaves, and even storm drains. Outdoor settings mean caves, hollowed spaces in trees, mine tunnels, and under bridges. Any opening of half an inch or greater is all a bat needs for entry.
• Bats like the temperature and setting.These creatures live all over the world in a variety of geographies: forests, mountains, farmlands, and cities. There are few areas where bats don’t consider at least moderately hospitable. Because much of the U.S. rests in a warm and humid climate, bats will establish roosts in many states.

Different species of bats handle the seasons in different ways, and temperature extremes impact their lives.

Let’s dispel a few ideas that give people unnatural fears about bats…

• Myth:Vampire bats suck human blood.
• Fact: Though vampire bats do suck blood, it’s from deer and cattle.
• Myth:Bats are blind, hence the expression “blind as a bat.”
• Fact: Bats have normal eyesight but do use the echoes from their shrieks to guide their nighttime flights.
• Myth:Bats are filthy, disease-carrying animals.
• Fact: As mentioned above, only in rare cases can bats transmit rabies to humans.

Repair damaged screens and seal off openings with caulk or foam insulation. This prevents your home from becoming a shelter for bats when temperatures change. Be aware that covering these openings should be done near dusk when bats take flight. If done during daytime, you would simply be trapping them within your home.

Whether or not you have dealt with a bat infestation, you should regularly incorporate prevention methods around your property. These are often simple measures that will help keep your home safe and clean.

With their sharp fangs, cape-like wings and nocturnal nature, it’s no wonder bats have been branded as the vampires of the animal world. While the one species called vampire bats do actually bite animals and drink their blood, most bats live on a diet of insects, fruits, pollen and small amphibians like frogs.

Fortunately, bats aren’t known to be aggressive. Even the species that feed on blood won’t go anywhere near humans. However, bats aren’t very particular about the environment they choose to roost inside. They hang out – literally – in attics, chimneys and overhangs. This brings homeowners a variety of problems like noise, odor, disease, and structural problems from their feces and urine.

A colony of bats in your home will make itself known to you almost immediately. Bats are active at night and have to use echolocation to find their prey, which is similar to sonar. It requires the bats to emit a high-pitched squeaking sound that is then bounced back to them, letting them know where any animals or physical barriers are as they fly.

Bats aren’t reclusive. They leave their shelter at dusk, so they aren’t hard to miss flying out of your attic. You may catch bats during the day if they roost in your attic, when they’ll be hanging upside down and sleeping. You’ll also probably smell the bats before you even see or hear them, as their feces (also called guano) and urine are both very pungent.

If you have discovered bats in your home, stay calm. You can take a few simple steps toward eradicating the problem, although it is always safer to have a trained specialist handle these animals. Bats can carry diseases such as rabies and Histoplasmosis, which you can contract after coming in contact with their guano.

Repelling and excluding bats are the best methods for getting rid of them. Never try to trap or kill them, as this is often illegal and can be very dangerous as the bats will become agitated and can injure you or themselves. Furthermore, removing bat carcasses is much more difficult than excluding the live animals.

If you do happen to come in contact with house bats, visit a doctor immediately if you experience flu-like symptoms. This could be a sign of rabies or another disease carried by the bat.

Cleaning up a previously infested bat area is usually the most dangerous part of dealing with an infestation. Bat urine and guano contains infectious diseases, and it is highly recommended to contact a professional cleaning crew. Homeowner’s insurance may also cover the cost of cleaning and treating your infestation.

Since a bat infestation requires heavy-duty inspection and cleaning, it isn’t an easy do-it-yourself project. However, you can prevent future problems by trying out some DIY repellent recipes and tactics at home:

Bats can be one of the hardest wildlife pests to get rid of. While they most commonly invade attics, a bat colony can easily make their way inside your insulation, vents, and crawl spaces, slowly destroying your walls and foundation. This is why hiring an expert could be your best option. A wildlife control service will perform a full inspection to successfully locate the bats, while also determining their exact species. This enables them to tailor a multi-step, integrated plan for your house and family. These professionals are equipped with the best tools for maintaining their safety while coming in contact with bats and their waste – tools you probably will neither have on hand or want to purchase on your own. A wildlife expert can also partner with contractors and cleaning crews to take care of sealing and cleaning your home without incurring extra costs.

Better yet, many companies offer satisfaction guarantees in which they’ll continue trying methods until the problem has been solved or refund your money.