How to Rid Yourself of Bats

I have what the experts might refer to as an irrational fear of bats. There's just something about them that makes me scream like a little girl. Maybe it's the fact that they look like rats with wings. It could also be that they defy the laws of nature by being the only fuzzy little creatures that aren't cute. It doesn't matter what the reason is, the fact of the matter is that they usually have me looking for the entrance of my house when they come out in the evening. When they get into my house, the only reason I don't lock myself in the bedroom is because my wife beats me to it and leaves me to fend for myself.

I've already heard the arguments about how useful bats are and how many bugs they eat every night. That's all well and good, but it doesn't mean I want them dive bombing my family as we're sitting in our living room. If you're like me, and would rather deal with the bugs than the bats, this article will give you some tips on how to keep them out of and away from your home. Sometimes the problem is just an occasional visitor in your home and other times it's a full blown infestation. Here are some tips to help you deal with both.

Sometimes during summer evenings a bat will find it's way into our homes. If this happens, usually you and your family will spend several minutes panicking and running around the house looking for a place to hide. Most experts will tell you not to do this, but most of us are usually taken by surprise when a bat appears in our home, so panic is almost unavoidable. When you are finally able to regain your composure, you're going to need a plan to evict the unwanted guest.

Usually when you encounter a bat in your house, it is flying around the room looking for a way out. The first thing you should do is seal off the exits if possible so you don't have to chase the bat through other rooms. At this point, there are a couple different things you can do. Some say the best way is to turn the lights on and open all the windows and let the bat find it's own way out. The problem with this is that it sometimes confuses the bat and it just flies around until it gets tired and lands on something. When it regains it's strength, it takes off and starts the process all over again.

If the first method doesn't work, there is something else you could try. When you first notice the bat in your house, go and find a pair of gloves. Go back into the room and seal off the exits. Stand perfectly still until the bat lands on something. Put the gloves on and approach the bat where it has landed. It will usually not take flight while you are approaching because it is probably exhausted. Grab the bat firmly but not enough to injure it and go to the nearest window and throw it out. If you're not brave enough to grab the bat, even with a glove on, you can use a coffee can or some other container to trap it. Slide a piece of cardboard under the can and then take it outside and release it.

Some people try to catch bats in fishing nets or hit them with various household items. This is not advisable because rather than hitting the bat, you will usually just end up trashing your house and the bat will still be flying around.

If you are experiencing more than just an occasional lone bat, you may have a bat colony roosting in you home. If you suspect that this is the case, the first thing you have to is locate the nesting area. The attic is the most common area for bats to take up residence in your home. The bats themselves will keep well hidden from sight, but there are signs you can look for. If the bats are roosting in your attic you will find droppings on the floor. They are black and dry and usually accumulate in piles under the nesting area. If the bats have been there for a while the piles could be several inches deep.

Once you have located the roosting area, the next question is how do you get them to move out. You need to identify all possible entry points to your attic from outside. It's important to remember that a bat can fit through a hole as small as the size of a quarter. The best way to do this is to go into your attic during the day and turn off the lights. Anywhere that you see the outside light is a possible entry point for bats.

The next step is to wait until the evening hours when the bats have left to feed and seal off all possible entry points. This can be accomplished by covering vents with mesh screens. Smaller holes can be sealed with some kind of expandable crack filler or caulking. When the bats return to find their access denied, they will have no choice but to relocate. This procedure should be done during the fall so that they young bats born earlier in the year are old enough to fly. If you do it to early, you will trap flightless bats inside the home instead of outside. If you take the time to complete the project carefully and completely, it should take care of the problem.

There are bat box kits that you can buy to provide alternate housing for bats after you have removed them from your home. Some people even build their own and place them in a far corner of their property to provide the bats a place to roost. If we're being honest though, we're usually satisfied just to have them relocate to the neighbor's house.