How to get rid of bats

Video: 9 Easiest Ways to Get Rid of Bats

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 3: Identifying the problem with bats
Part 2 of 3: Eliminating Bats
Part 3 of 3: Protecting Your Home from Bats
Tips
Warnings
Additional articles

If bats have settled in your home, then the problem is somewhat more serious than the mere appearance of extraneous noise. Invasion of bats often causes structural damage to the building and leads to the accumulation of droppings, which gradually corrodes wood and other building materials. In addition, bat feces, if ignored, can pose a threat to your health and that of your family members. When the problem with bats is widespread, it is a good idea to seek professional pest control services, however, there are also a number of simple steps you can take to evict winged invaders from your home and block their way back.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Identifying the problem with bats

1 Make sure you are dealing with bats. The reason for the periodic rustling in the attic may be just vibrations of old water pipes or the grinding of other household equipment. Make sure to rule out all other possible causes of noise before you start spending your own time and energy on the bat removal venture. The easiest way to learn about the invasion of bats into the house is when you see at least one mouse with your own eyes or find the corresponding excrement, which is difficult to confuse with anything else.
- Check with your Sanitary Epidemiological Station or Conservation Specialist as to which bat species are common in your area.
2 Look for bat droppings. Bat excrement (commonly known as guano) most often appears as small, dark granules. They are round in shape and exude a strong, offensive musky odor. If you find guano in any part of your home, then with almost complete certainty we can say that bats have recently nested there.
- Although bat urine is usually invisible, it can leave small stains and a pungent odor behind.
- Bat guano can sometimes contain mold spores that are dangerous to breathe. In some cases, prolonged close contact with guano can lead to serious health problems, including hemorrhagic fever and respiratory infections such as histoplasmosis.
3 Explore the species of bats found in your area. There are many varieties of bats. Find out when local bats start breeding season. If you drive a newly born female bat out of the house, her cubs will not be able to survive. As a result, your attic will be filled with unbearable stench and dead bats, which you will need to somehow get rid of.
- Bats live in varied but highly specific conditions. In most cases, a specific species can be identified by its habitat. Knowledge of the specific species will be an advantage in resolving the issue of safely eliminating unwanted guests and then isolating the home.
- Look, you will not be able to carefully examine the bat that has settled in your home, so that later you can determine its species.
4 Identify where bats have entered your home. Bats are attracted to dark, enclosed spaces because they best mimic their natural habitat - caves. Take a close look at the attic, chimney, basement, or other technical area for evidence of bats. Pay special attention to those places that can be accessed through small cracks and holes, as they are often used by animals to get inside.
- Some bats are capable of squeezing into a hole up to 1 cm in diameter, so don't underestimate the small or inconspicuous holes.
- Track bats at night to see how they fly out and back in.

Part 2 of 3: Eliminating Bats

1 Break the rest of the bats to drive them away. Bats prefer dark, quiet hiding places and have a dislike for bright light and noise. Try leaving a light on in your attic or other area where you think bats live. To strike a double blow at once, you can spend money on a special noise source and turn on this device at night, thereby doubling the chances of scaring off bats.
- Certain species of bats are listed in the Red Data Books of some regions, so the physical destruction of these animals may be illegal. In this case, you will have to find a humane way to get rid of them.
- If strips of aluminum foil are hung from the ceiling, they will become a serious disorienting obstacle for bats that will scare them away.
2 Set up a separate box specifically for bats nesting. Bat nest boxes are small structures that can provide temporary shelter for bats during the breeding season. The idea is to distract the bats from your home by providing them with another suitable place and preventing them from returning to your home. For those living in wooded areas, bat nesting boxes can be a good option for relocating these animals without the need for more costly measures.
- You can make your own bat crate or find out at a pest control service or sanitary and epidemiological station, where you can get something similar.
- Place the box on the edge of your garden or near your home in a shady location.
3 Install a unidirectional output device. By installing unidirectional exit devices on all potential bats' entry points, animals will be able to leave your home, but will not be able to return. In this way, the problem will be resolved by itself. The use of unidirectional exit devices is considered one of the most effective ways to get rid of bats at home, which works once and for all.
- Blocking the back entrance is preferable to catching bats, which is quite difficult and even dangerous.
- A unidirectional exit device is easiest to purchase through online retailers. It is inexpensive and requires a fairly simple installation.
4 Contact the sanitary and epidemiological station to eliminate pests. If you can't get rid of bats on your own, or if you suspect that a whole colony of these animals has settled in your home, it is best to leave the solution to the professionals. Specialists of the sanitary and epidemiological station will help to identify and block the probable points of entry of bats into the house, so that they cannot return there.
- This will be the safest and most convenient method of fixing the problem if you have the funds to pay for the services of professionals.
- In places where conservation is a priority, you may be able to reach out to conservationists who will move bats out of your home for free.

Part 3 of 3: Protecting Your Home from Bats

1 Shut off all potential bats. Once you get the bats out of the house, you will need to seal off any openings through which they can return. To do this, you will need to repair and repair all old cracks and gaps, install unidirectional exit devices, and in some cases also reapply plaster, whitewash or block the roof. With such measures, it will be difficult and even impossible for bats to get back into your house in the future.
- If you've hired a batsman to remove bats, go with them outside your home to look for possible bats that might have entered.
- It is very important not to ignore absolutely no loophole. If the bats cannot return to their usual path, they will try to find another path.
2 Dispose of accumulated excrement. Vacuum dry droppings or scoop them up into a trash bag. Then thoroughly wash the area with an enzymatic detergent. This will dissolve any residues from the bats and leave no trace of them.
- When cleaning out bat guano, remember to take precautions - wear thick rubber gloves, goggles, and a mask or respirator to filter out the surrounding air.
- It is highly recommended to entrust the procedure for disinfection of the territory to the employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station.
3 Regularly check the condition of areas that can be captured by bats. Periodically inspect the attic, basement, technical rooms, and other places where bats can live. Pay attention to both the bats themselves and their excrement. The bats are likely to remain outside if you block the entrance, but if they do manage to get back in, you will need to find out as soon as possible in order not to lose control of the situation.
- Inexplicable drafts and debris can be a clue that bats have made a hole somewhere.
- Although bats usually choose attics and chimneys, they can sometimes also settle under wooden decks, on enclosed verandas, and under shingles.

Tips

Use a spray bottle to moisten areas where you see bat droppings to prevent dust and harmful fungal spores from scattering when cleaning.
The best thing to do is to protect the house from bats at night, when they all fly out to hunt and mate.
Check your home once a year for bats and other pests.
The constant presence of people is guaranteed to prevent bats from feeling too comfortable.
Fruits, nuts and small pieces of other food can sometimes be used to successfully lure bats out of their hiding place.

Warnings

In addition to histoplasmosis, bats can carry rabies as well as spread fleas and ticks.
Don't waste time on bat repellents. Not only are they ineffective, but they can jeopardize the health of your family members by dispersing chemical irritants around the house.