1. Holy Bats, Batman! What are Bats Anyway?

Bats are mammals, the only mammal that has evolved the capability of true flight. They are also a common object of phobias, but of the more than 1,000 known species of bats less than 10 feed on the blood of other mammals. The vast majority of bats feed on insects and fruits. Most bats that live in the US feed exclusively on insects – in fact, every night a single bat can consume its body weight in insects making them a very useful and natural insect-control measure and a vital part of our ecosystem.

If you find yourself in an area swarming with insects, you might consider erecting a bat house to attract these animals to your property. This will give the bats a safe-haven and help control your local insect population – but this article is about getting rid of them. If you would like more information about buying or building a bat house, check out the PDF documents available on this page of BatCon.org.

2. What Attracts Bats to Your Property?

Bats, like most animals, follow the path of least resistance. They flourish in areas abundant in food, shelter, and the absence of predators. If you live in an area that is uniquely habitable for any particular species of bat, don’t be surprised if they try and move in.

Bats usually roost in dark, quiet, enclosed spaces where they are least likely to be disturbed by predators or inclement weather. Their natural habitats are caves and other such secluded areas and this is why your barn, shed or attic can be so attractive to a bat in search of safety. Some species are less picky and will roost in trees and dense foliage.

Bats roost for three reasons:

1. To digest the night’s meal: After a long night of feeding, it’s not uncommon to spot a lone bat hanging from an awning or off a tree as it digests the night’s catch. Technically this is resting, not ‘roosting’.
2. Hibernation: During the colder months, depending on your geographic location, bats will seek out secluded spaces with stable conditions to hibernate and wait out the cold season. They often roost in groups and make use of each other’s body heat to keep one another warm.
3. Breeding: Bats will choose protected environments for the creation of nursery colonies. Nursery colonies are where female bats nurse their babies to self-sufficiency. It’s common for several hundred mother bats to share the same roost with each other creating a ‘colony’ of babies and mothers. Maternity season for bats in the United States and Canada is usually from late April to late August.

Bats can fit into openings as small as 1/2″ making almost every man-made structure a virtual smorgasbord of potential hiding places. Some of the places that bats have been found in man-made structures include but are not limited to:

• Attics
• Storage sheds
• Barns
• Unused and open structures (Dog houses, stables, etc)
• Chimneys
• Louvers
• Soffits
• Siding
• Eaves
• Roof tiles and shingles
• Behind shutters

3. What to do if You Encounter a Bat

Bats are relatively timid creatures that normally go out of their way to avoid contact with humans. This is why you should be extremely careful if you encounter one up close and personal. Less than 1/2 of a percent of bats carry rabies, but those that do are more likely to become sick or disoriented increasing their likelihood of coming into contact with someone. Of the few rabies cases reported each year in the U.S., over half of them are caused by bat bites, so be very cautious when in close proximity and do not handle the bat with bare hands.

Bat Bites

Bat bites aren’t always noticeable, they usually aren’t very painful so it’s possible for somebody to get bitten while they are sleeping or otherwise distracted. If you or anyone in your household has been exposed to a bat and you aren’t 100% sure that they weren’t bitten, it should be captured and brought with you to your doctor to be tested for rabies. This is especially important in the case of a child who is found with a bat as they may not admit to getting bitten or understand the potential risk. Don’t panic – rabies is still extremely rare, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

Getting a Bat Out of Your House

If a bat wanders into your home through an open door or window, the best way to usher it out is to seal it off from the rest of the house by closing the doors to adjacent rooms and opening all of the windows in the room in which it resides. Just give it a few hours and it will usually leave all by itself. If it decides to stick around or you simply don’t have the patience to wait for it to leave, you can capture the bat and release it outside.

How to Capture a Bat

If you find yourself in a situation where you must capture a bat to either bring it to your doctor or release it outside of your home, the most important thing to remember is not to handle it with your bare hands. If you’re not particularly squeamish around bats then you can dawn a pair of heavy work gloves and use them to grab it and transport it out doors. A more agreeable method to those who would rather not get so close would be to take a small container such as a coffee can or shoebox, place it over the bat, and then slide a rigid piece of cardboard underneath to trap it in the container. You can then open the container outside to free the bat, or tape it shut (don’t forget air-holes) and bring it with you to your doctor if somebody may have been bitten.

4. Getting Rid of Bats in Structures

Before we begin the process of removing them from your property, you should check your local ordinances as it is illegal to disturb roosts, trap and/or kill bats in many areas. This guide will not tell you how to kill bats, but it will tell you how to get rid of them.

I. Where Are They Roosting?

If you’ve got bats living on your property and you want them out, the first thing you need to do is determine where they are roosting. Grab a chair and sit outside a few evenings with an eye to the sky. Are they in the trees? Around your house? Your neighbors houses? Make a list of every place they may be roosting based on your observation.

The next step is to go out during the day and examine closely all of the structures you’ve identified as possible roosting areas. Make a list of every opening larger than 1/2″ in diameter and keep an eye out for telltale signs of bat habitation. You may notice dark, pellet-like droppings on walls and around areas where they roost as well as dark smudges and stains in places which they come into direct contact.

II. Allow Them to Leave, But Not Get Back In

Once their potential hiding places have been determined, it’s time to start ushering them out. Unfortunately, if your bats prefer trees there’s not much you can do to get rid of them other than removing the trees themselves. As for the list of openings you made in the last step, DO NOT go immediately out and seal them all up as you will trap many bats inside of the roost and end up with dead, rotting bats in hard to reach spaces which will cause even more problems with odors and pests. Be wary of the time of year you do this too - Maternity season for bats in the United States and Canada ranges from late April to late August and the roost may still contain babies that are unable to leave on their own. Roosts are almost never empty so you need to attach devices to these areas that allow the bats to exit, but not re-enter. Devices that accomplish this are called “Excluders” and can be purchased or made yourself. Making them yourself is easily accomplished by purchasing a length of tight-meshed netting, screen, or cloth and placing it over the opening, attaching it at the top so it forms a ‘flap’ over the entrence. This will allow the bat to push its way out, but will not allow it to get back in. Instructions for building exclusion devices for every possible type of nook and cranny can be found a Bat Conservation International.

III. Seal All Entrances

Once you have all of the entrances fitted with an exclusion device, wait 7-10 days for all of the bats to leave before permanently sealing the openings. Use steel wool, cement, caulk, hardware cloth or plating. Do not use expanding foam – it is toxic and may kill any bats that return and come into contact with it when trying to re-enter.

Poisons

The use of poison is not recommended as you will soon have tons of dead bats littering your home and property which will not only stink, but invite all sorts of pests and make you miserable until the mess has been cleaned up. It will increase the likelihood of a local child or animal coming into contact with one, and as mentioned in the first paragraph if this section, might be illegal.

5. How to Keep Bats Out of Your Property

If you don’t yet have a problem with bats and you’re more interested in preemptive bat-proofing, the best first step is to contact your local animal control or wildlife conservation agency for assistance or instructions specific to your geographical area. The most important step will usually be the elimination of any potential entry points. Scour the exterior of you home and nearby structures for openings 1/2″ or larger, and then seal them all completely with steel wool, hardware cloth, screens, netting, plating, or silicone caulk.

Deterrents and Repellents

Environmental Deterrents

If you have some areas that you just can’t seal up, but want to discourage bats from taking up residence, do your best to make it look less desirable by mounting lights, hanging aluminum foil, balloons, windsocks, wind chimes, or other highly visible and mobile objects that will make the area appear bright, loud or busy.

Dog and Cat Repellent Sprays

Cat and dog repellent sprays are only temporary measures best used in small areas like overhangs and awnings where the occasional lone bat is encountered.

Ultrasonic and Electronic Repellent Devices

Ultrasonic devices are completely ineffective against bats. Visit your favorite shopping site that offers product reviews such as Amazon.com, read a few of the reviews on these devices and you will see just how many people used them unsuccessfully.

Moth Balls (Naphthalene)

Naphthalene has been recommended as a bat repellent and it does work – however, it must be used in such huge quantities as to create a considerable health hazard to humans and other animals. Don’t use it.