On This Page:
- Signs Your Have a Bat Infestation
- Removing Bats from Your Attic
- Exclusion over Extermination
- Dangers of DIY Bat Removal
- Preventing Bats from Entering Your Home
The image many people have of bats, accented by folklore, is one of fear, darkness, and general malaise. And while they serve a critical role in many ecosystems and the circle of life, with fewer caves and trees to call home in the wild, many are migrating to manmade structures instead. This is becoming a large-scale problem because many bats are carriers of deadly viruses, most notably rabies, making them a clear threat to people and animals living in a home.
As with other types of household pests, bats infestations need to be taken care of immediately by homeowners. However, it is critical to seek professional assistance, especially considering the health risk that they present. The cost to remove bats from a home varies greatly depending on the extent of the infestation and the size of a home. Removing a single bat with a single entry point may cost as little as $300. However, taking care of an entire colony may cost several thousand dollars.
Regardless, safely and effectively dealing with an infestation through either exclusion or extermination is critical for the health of both your home and your family, and hiring a professional is absolutely critical when it comes to bat removal.
Signs You Have a Bat Infestation
Before contacting a professional, it is possible to do some basic detective work in and around your home to determine if there is an infestation. There are three major signs to look for:
- Sounds: Bats make distinctive noises as they go about their business, including squeaking, crawling, and scratching. However, because they are nocturnal, these noises typically peak around dusk and dawn.
- Guano: Bat feces, also known as guano, are very distinct and easy to identify. With a general appearance similar to rodent feces, guano stands out because of its shiny flecks, which are the wings of insects the bat consumes. It also easily breaks down and, unlike rodent droppings, tends to accumulate in piles near the nest.
- Stains: Bats need an entry and exit point into the home and travel in and out of that point throughout the night to search for food. When they do, the oily residue on their fur rubs off on the house itself, often leaving identifiable black and brown stains near that entry port. White streaks on windows may also be a sign of bat urine.
Removing Bats from Your Attic
The attic of a home is an incredibly appealing location for females that need a warm, protected space to raise their young. Because an attic infestation often includes more than one bat, removal can be difficult and dangerous due to possible rabies exposure. The best course of action is to hire a professional.
Homeowners can take steps to contain smaller infestations themselves through a process called exclusion. This starts by locating and blocking the secondary entry points that the bats use. These points are very small, often no bigger than half an inch, and must be completely sealed. Once all small points are sealed, homeowners can install low-cost exclusion products such as the Batcone II Excluder on the main entry point. This humane device costs less than $20 and prevents bats from reentering the home by only allowing them to pass through the entry point in one direction. Once they are all out, sealing that main point is finally possible.
Exclusion over Extermination
While taking care of bats in the same way as other household pests - through extermination - may seem reasonable, it is actually a last resort move and often an illegal one at that. In Pennsylvania, for example, it is illegal to kill bats inside buildings. Extermination is also inhumane and is not ecologically appropriate. This is because bats are an important part of the ecosystem and play a critical role in the circle of life through insect control. In fact, one bat can eat upwards of 3,000 insects in just one night. Furthermore, a number of species are endangered and/or protected by different government agencies, including eight species that are on the Federal Endangered Species List.
Choosing to exterminate bats is also dangerous because they are mammals, and the type of poison needed to kill them is equally harmful to humans. In addition, as of 2016 there are no chemicals licensed in the United States for use on bats. The most effective and humane way to remove them from a home is through exclusion followed by sealing entry points and providing an alternate roost.
Dangers of DIY Bat Removal
While there are plenty of websites and DIY experts that offer bat-removal solutions for homeowners, trying to eliminate a colony on your own is both dangerous and often futile. It is dangerous because bats, though incredibly important mammals, harbor a number of viruses that they can pass on to humans. Coming into contact without the proper protection and vaccinations puts homeowners at extreme risk.
Dangers include contracting viruses such as rabies or picking up parasites such as fleas. Furthermore, guano also presents a health risk and are dangerous to remove without professional training. Bat droppings are known carriers of histoplasmosis, an infectious fungus that causes lung and breathing problems.
Preventing Bats from Entering Your Home
The most important thing homeowners can do themselves when it comes to bat control is to prevent infestations in the first place. Most bats enter homes when they are looking for a place to roost or raise their young. In areas where their natural habitat has been destroyed, this is more likely to occur because caves, trees, and other natural structures are no longer available to the local bat population.
Most advertised deterrents such as ultrasonic systems, sprays, and mothballs do not offer long-term solutions. The only way to keep bats out of a home is to prevent them from getting in. To do this, carefully inspect the outside of your home for possible entry points, which can be as small as 3/8 of an inch, and seal those points.
In some regions, certain species respond well to alternate roosting spots known as bat houses. Placing one of these man-made structures on your property, away from your home, gives these vital creatures an alternative roosting space, preventing them from seeking shelter in your dwelling.
