Feb 24, 2012 – Bats, and Not Even A Belfry
QUESTION:
I have an apartment building with bats in the end wall. The entry point is the flashing from the attic vent and brick. What is the best way to get them out?
ANSWER:
One of the first things to do, if it has not already been done, is to grab a chair and sit near that entry point beginning about an hour before dusk in the evening, and carefully watch to see if these bats are emerging to forage at night. Since you are in Texas it is very possible that they are remaining active throughout the winter months, and if they are then they are already doing the job for you by leaving each night to feed. This also should be too early for any new baby bats to be present, so this definitely is the time to do the necessary exclusion. But, check with your local university extension service to verify the species of bats that are found in your area and then brush up on their biology. You definitely do not want to seal out the adult bats and then leave a bunch of babies stranded inside, nor do you want to seal off that opening and leave some hibernating bats inside to die and create problems.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
I have an apartment building with bats in the end wall. The entry point is the flashing from the attic vent and brick. What is the best way to get them out?
ANSWER:
One of the first things to do, if it has not already been done, is to grab a chair and sit near that entry point beginning about an hour before dusk in the evening, and carefully watch to see if these bats are emerging to forage at night. Since you are in Texas it is very possible that they are remaining active throughout the winter months, and if they are then they are already doing the job for you by leaving each night to feed. This also should be too early for any new baby bats to be present, so this definitely is the time to do the necessary exclusion. But, check with your local university extension service to verify the species of bats that are found in your area and then brush up on their biology. You definitely do not want to seal out the adult bats and then leave a bunch of babies stranded inside, nor do you want to seal off that opening and leave some hibernating bats inside to die and create problems.
It would also be advisable to do this evening inspection of other areas around this structure, since there very well could be multiple entry points that would need to be addressed. Once you have determined that the bats are, indeed, leaving the structure at night you can install a one-way door of some kind that allows them to leave but prohibits them from re-entering. This can be a tube of netting or other material that hangs down from that opening, allowing them to push through to exit but not to get back through. Once you are confident that all the bats are out the opening (or all openings) can be permanently sealed shut.
I don't know if you are able to access the actual voids in this end wall where the bats are located. If you can you might be able to make them uncomfortable with a couple of things - bright lights that illuminate the void or some kind of fan that creates a strong breeze in that void. Bats do not like these changes and it may encourage them to leave. There are bat repellents that can be placed within an area where bats are roosting, but these can NOT just be dumped into a void and forgotten. They must be placed within some sort of container that can then be removed once the bats are gone or if the odor of the repellent begins to bother the people who live there. These repellents often rely on naphthalene (moth balls) and this odor can be quite strong and objectionable to people. And, it is illegal to use plain old moth balls or moth crystals if they are not labeled specifically for use as an animal repellent. The internet is filled with recommendations like this, and we, as licensed professionals, must stick with labeled products.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
