It’s safe to say that most people aren’t the biggest fans of bats. They can hide in your attic, garage, or basement and pop out at you without warning, not to mention that they are associated with horror films and vampires, which doesn’t do much to help their image.
Unfortunately, if you live in an area where bats are known to run rampant, it can be kind of difficult to get away from them. Worst of all, they can end up roosting under your eaves.
If this is something that you’re currently having to deal with, rest assured that there are ways to keep it from happening.
Keeping Bats at Bay
Bats are keen on roosting in small spaces and any crevice that they can find. Most of the time, they end up taking residence in your home.
While bats don’t pose much of a threat to humans, they are known to be rather loud and will stink up your home with their droppings.
In order to clear away any bats that may be roosting in your home, one of the best things you can do is make noise. Bats hate noise, especially during the day when they are sleeping.
Get as close to where the bats are as you can and be as loud as possible. This is certainly bound to get rid of any bats and can even prevent them from coming back.
Another thing that you can do to keep bats from roosting under your eaves is to place bags of mothballs around. Bats hate the strong chemical odor of mothballs and will therefore stay away from anywhere that these can be found.
You may have to change the bags out periodically as the smell starts to fade.
If your home is lacking in the lighting department, this could be one of the main reasons why bats are choosing your home to set up camp. Bats hate the light and will be drawn to dark areas.
In order to prevent them from roosting in your home, be sure to install bright lights around the outside of your home.
Get Bats Out of Your Attic
As mentioned earlier, attics are another favorite roosting spot for bats. Getting bats out of your attic is much more difficult than getting them out of your eaves because of the fact that they are inside of your home and have likely been there for a while.
First things first; you’re going to want to locate where the bats are going in and out of. This means searching your house for any small openings where a bat may be able to get through.
Keep in mind that bats don’t need much space to squeeze through so any sort of opening that leads from the inside of your house to the outside will need to be covered.
Although one of your options is to just sit and watch your house all day to see where the bats are coming in and out of, you can also look out for their droppings. If there is an area in your home where the droppings are more concentrated, chances are that this is one of their main entryways. Focus on these areas first.
If you’ve decided to go the route of simply watching your home for the bats, be prepared to do so multiple nights in a row. This is due to the fact that bats can go several days without leaving their nest as they don’t need to feed every day.
If you don’t notice any activity the first night, be sure to keep coming back night after night until you’ve spotted the culprits.
Once you start finding these entryways, be sure to seal them up as soon as possible. Make sure to leave the main exit way open as you will need it for the rest of the bats to get out. When looking for potential entryways, don’t forget to check your roof.
Bats are also known to make their way inside of homes via small gaps in your roof. No matter how small the gap may be, be sure to cover it up. Believe it or not, but bats can enter any space that is as wide as 3/8 of an inch.
If you have a chimney, chances are that bats are getting in through this way too. If you can, be sure to use caulk to cover up any cracks or holes on the chimney. Make sure that your chimney is free of bats before you try to start a fire.
Not only could you end up killing the bats, which are endangered in some parts, but you may inadvertently cause them to fly into your home.
Another way to keep bats out of your attic is to use a net or a screen. This will create a one-way exit that allows bats to escape, but not to come in again.
How Do I Know If I Have a Bat Problem?
Oftentimes, people mistake their bat problem for that of another type of animal, which can affect how they deal with the issue. However, there are common signs to look out for that will tell you whether or not you are dealing with bats.
One of the first signs to look for is whether or not you see any stains alongside your wall. This is typically caused by bat urine and will appear in areas where bats usually go in and out.
If you hear any sounds coming from your attic, chances are that bats are the ones responsible.
Why Are Bats Choosing My Home?
There may be more than one reason why you have a bat problem. To put it simply, bats are attracted to areas where there is a good food source nearby.
If you live near a bat’s food source, chances are that they will take up residency in your home.
Another reason could be that your home offers the perfect environment for a bat to live in. As mentioned earlier, bats love dark and small spaces, which is why you often find them roosting under your eaves.
Bats are also incredibly sensitive to temperature and if you live in a climate that a bat prefers, you may be prone to having a bat situation on your hands.
What Do Bats Look Like?
Interestingly enough, many people have never actually come face to face with a real-life bat before. As a result, they may not know what they look like. Bats have some unique physical characteristics that make them quite easy to identify, however.
Different types of bats have different physical characteristics. For example, larger bats, otherwise known as megabats, will have a wingspan that can go up to five feet. Small bats, appropriately named microbats, are going to have a wingspan of just six inches.
When bats are in the sky, they can be hard to distinguish between birds. However, bats tend to fly in much more random, sporadic movements than birds do. Although most bats live in colonies, some tend to isolate themselves and live on their own.
Are Bats Beneficial to the Environment?
As tedious as getting rid of them may be, bats are incredibly beneficial to the ecosystem. For one, they help maintain the insect population by feeding on them. In fact, bats are known to consume their own body weight in insects per night.
In areas where cacti live, bats are also beneficial. This is because they are useful in helping to pollinate their flowers, which only open up at night. Since bats are nocturnal, they are able to do this.
Are Bats Dangerous to Humans?
Many people are afraid of bats because they believe that bats can cause them harm. But the truth is that bats are pretty harmless for the most part. The only time that they can be dangerous to humans is if they have rabies.
According to experts, however, only less than five percent of bats have rabies. If you want to be extra safe, be sure to keep an eye out for bats that may look ill or are unable to fly. If this is the case, stay away from them as they could be infected with rabies.
Bat feces is also known to cause flu-like symptoms in humans, but it’s very rare. The best way to make sure that you are staying safe against bat feces is to wear a mask and gloves when cleaning it up.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, bats aren’t dangerous to humans, but they can be a nuisance, especially when they are invading your home. Luckily, there are measures you can take to make sure that they stay out of your home.
Be sure to keep your home well lit so that you keep the bats at bay. If you believe that there are bats living in your home, try to make as much noise as possible to scare them away.
Lastly, a bag of mothballs should be able to keep them away as bats aren’t too keen on the smell.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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