Are you looking for the best way to get rid of bats?

For most people, these pests are largely unwanted due to their activities as well as their potential to spread diseases.

Bats can get too close for comfort as you may find them in your attic, swarming around your home, getting stuck indoors, odor from bat droppings as well as other inconveniences they can cause.

As a result, we present you with information on how to get rid of bats.

Here, we have included effective strategies that have proven successful in bat control over the years.

What do Bats Feed On?

Generally, bats feed on fruits.

This is an activity that creates so much mess, especially from droppings.

If you have a small garden or orchard, chances are that bats may nest around your home even if you found only one.

What People Dread the Most

For many, having bats around their homes may be tolerable. However, what a lot of people cannot stand is having a bat indoors. This is a terrifying experience for many.

Such situations are most common when there’s a drop in temperature (cold).

One of the easiest ways to prevent this is by closing all openings such as doors and windows etc.

The lifespan of a Bat

Bats have a fairly long lifespan and can let live for as long as 20 years. This may not be good news for you but we will provide you with ways to take back control of your home.

Types of Bats

There are several types of bats as well as species. Bat types include the Indiana bat, giant golden-crowned flying fox, little brown bat, kitty’s hog-nosed bat, fruit bat, Egyptian fruit bat, and the vampire bat.

However diverse bat species may be, one thing in common; how they are perceived by people. The noise bats make, the smell, as well as diseases spread by them, make them despised.

Hence once a bat problem is noticed, immediate action needs to be taken.

Bat Reproduction

Unlike most types of pests, bats have a relatively slow reproduction rate. In other words, they aren’t prolific producers. Hence, bats give birth to at most 2 pups a year. This is further affected by the activities of other predators.

However, what they lack in birth numbers, they make up for in longevity.

What Attracts Bats to an Area?

While pest activity is largely hinged on the availability of food sources, other reasons abound. Therefore if there are trees around your home, bats will find such areas attractive. This is more so when such trees provide well-shaded covering.

Because these mammals are nocturnal creatures, they use such areas to hibernate during the day.

Also if there are caves around you, bats may keep you company during the day. If bats find their way into your home, it’s because an opening was spotted. Therefore it’s necessary to ensure likely entry points are sealed.

Diseases Spread by Bats

Earlier on, we mentioned that bats could spread certain diseases. These are hosts to deadly diseases such as rabies, White-nose syndrome as well as Histoplasmosis.

Hence by having bats around you, you’re in danger of bats spreading such diseases to you.

How to Get Rid of Bats in the Ceiling, Chimney, and Attic of Your House

This is where we discuss the different ways you can handle a bat problem. Also, some of the methods we’ll mention can be combined. This is for those who would want to double-check.

Without further waste of your time, let’s jump into the details;

  • Calling a Pest Control Service

For a lasting solution to your bat’s problems, the professionals have to be called in. This is one of the most reliable methods because pests technicians are well trained. In addition to that, on-the-job experience is critical.

Thus, armed with knowledge on bat behavior, they examine the problem as comprehensively as possible.

In addition to treatment, tips are also provided on how to avoid or keep them at bay. This is one of the fastest ways to get rid of bats completely.

  • Find Their Homes

This is critical to finding a lasting solution to bat problems. By nature, bats, unlike some pests cannot burrow through your home. There has to be some form of opening.

As such, you need to find such openings.

These could include broken pipes, behind shutters, damaged screens, etc.

Finding their nesting places enables you to apply your preferred treatment type.

  • Sealing all Entry Points

How do you get rid of bats outside? Without properly sealing every entry point, the effects of any type of treatment you apply will only be short-lived. As such, the cause(s) need to be fixed.

This will include all holes, cracks, or damages that leave openings. You should know that a hole as small as half an inch is opening enough.

Therefore to find such openings, an inspection of your home surroundings is necessary.

  • White Phenol

This is a noxious irritant that can be applied using a spray bottle. Bats are highly sensitive to smell. As such, spraying this around affected areas makes it unbearable for them. However, you need to constantly repeat the application process because it is quite volatile. An alternative to white phenol is phenol crystals. This has the same effect on bats.

Certain aerosols used to prevent pets from chewing furniture can be used on bats as well. The reason is due to the sensitive noses of bats.

Therefore when a bat problem is noticed, these can easily be sprayed. This is even more effective on bats that nest in hard-to-reach areas of your home like the attic. It makes your home uninhabitable for these mammals.

  • Aluminum Foil

The use of aluminum foil in bat nests and entry points has proven to be quite effective. Apart from the light, it reflects into the nest area, it also produces chiming sounds.

Together, these irritate bats and make such nests unbearable.

  • Disco Ball

Bats love dark and quiet areas. These present the perfect conditions for nesting.

Therefore to disrupt such conditions, you only need a disco ball fixed around such areas. However, in difficult-to-reach areas, mirrors can be used to project or reflect the disco ball lighting.

As long as such lights are on, these areas are considered uninhabitable by bats.

  • Sound Devices

Ultrasonic sound devices are perfect for keeping bats at bay. This is the sound frequency in which bats hear.

Therefore the sounds produced by these ultrasonic electronic devices disrupt the peace. These are in different variants and can be purchased from pest control stores.

Another advantage is that this can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments.

  • Cinnamon Powder

Whenever you need a non-toxic way to rid your home of bats, think cinnamon powder! This powder should be sprinkled onto their nesting areas. An equally effective alternative is by making a solution (cinnamon power+water).

This can be applied using a spray bottle.

  • Alternative Housing

The battle to reclaim full control of your home is multifaceted. Therefore while applying some of the most effective strategies as mentioned above, you can also provide bat housing.

However for this to be most effective, you need to first ensure that you’ve completely solved the bat problem within your home. Such alternative housing arrangements can be placed outside your home.

Suitable locations include wooded areas or treetops.

  • Party Balloons

One of the most creative ways to keep your home free of bats is to use party balloons.

Of course, these need to be filled with helium and released in bat nests. This is most effective at night when the bats are most active and away. When you do this, bats are unable to return.

In addition to that, reflective balloons intensify their discomfort.

  • Sustained Exclusion Practices

It isn’t enough to apply bat removal practices. You also need to ensure that preventive measures are constantly adapted.

This strategy will save you the time and cost spent on bat removal. Hence, you need to ensure that all entry points are sealed. These include doors, windows, vents, and chimney openings.

Here, protective vents can be used to close such.

While it’s necessary to always open doors and windows, the same should be closed when used. Shutters and screens can be used on windows and doors to prevent these mammals from coming in.

  • Clean Up Bat Waste

Although this isn’t one of the ways to get rid of bats, it’s one of the strategies you can use to avoid health risks. Bat droppings or wastes when ignored poses a health risk. Hence, immediate action needs to be taken after getting rid of them.

To clean up their mess, you should wear protective clothing as well as a respirator or face mask.

Droppings stuck to the ground should be scraped and vacuumed. Also, disinfectants should be applied before cleaning. The aim is to ensure you or your household and pets do not come in direct contact with such droppings.

On the other hand, if cleaning up this mess seems irritating, consider calling in a cleaning service. These are professionals that have experience and handle all types of cleaning jobs. Thankfully, their services are affordable as well.

We’ve discussed extensively how to get rid of bats. This article has focused on key aspects of bat control that you can easily adopt.

Therefore, you only need to follow your preferred strategy as all of the above have been tried and tested with impressive results obtained.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *