Bats are an integral part of the Florida ecosystem, with most of their diet consisting of insects like mosquitos and flies. However, despite the good they do for our natural ecosystem, the last place you want to find a bat is in your home. Bats can even hide undetected in houses for years, and because they are habitual creatures, they will continue to return to the same place for mating and giving birth over and over again. Thankfully, Critter Control is here to help you find a way to keep them out of your home for good.
If you believe your home has been taken over by bats, there are a few signs you can look for to confirm the presence of bats and what you should do to get them out of your home and keep them from returning.
Is there a bat in my house?
Bats are similar to rodents in that they can make themselves small enough to fit through small openings throughout your house, whether they be ¼ inch cracks in your window sill or gaps in your attic crawl space.
Bats generally like to nest in places that are dark, undisturbed, and have easy access to the outdoors so they can feed at night. Places that perfectly fit the bill around your house include attics, wall voids, chimneys, and barns. If you’re not sure whether you have a flying intruder in your home, here are a few telltale signs you can look for to confirm if you have bats in your home.
- Droppings—Because bats need easy access to an exit for hunting it’s common to find piles of droppings near an entry point or in one corner of your home. Droppings can also be found on insulation and even smeared on the walls.
- Stains—Urine stains where bats are nesting and a strong ammonia smell are an indication that bats have or are inhabiting a space in your home.
- Noises—Squeaking and scratching, especially at night when bats are the most active.
- Bat, Dead or Alive—The most obvious sign of a bat invasion is actually finding a live or dead bat.
What risks do bats pose in my home?
Despite what you may believe, bats mostly feed on vegetation and insects. The few species that feast on blood are found in South America, so you don’t have to worry about an invading bat being aggressive toward you—that is, as long as you don’t spook them. While the 13 bat species you’d find in Florida aren’t interested in you, or your blood, as a food source, they could attack when threatened like any other animal. Additionally, bats carry many diseases, including rabies.
Bats can also cause significant damage to the structure of your home. Their excrement can stain walls and leave a lingering ammonia smell that you can’t easily get rid of. But trying to get rid of bats yourself can force them to hide deeper in your home to do more damage.
How do I get bats out of my home?
Considering the legal parameters around when you can exclude bats from your home coupled with the potential health risks, it’s wise to call a professional to humanely and safely remove bats from your home.
There are some DIY remedies you can use to keep bats out of your home, such as like placing mothballs near potential nesting areas and using ultrasonic bat deterrents, but these types of remedies aren’t always effective.
That’s why professional pest and critter control companies like Critter Control of Tampa have technicians that are trained to safely and humanely remove bats from your home, alert you to potential points of entry for these flying mammals, install exclusionary tools to keep bats out, and even repair damage related to the infestation.
How do I keep bats out of my home?
Once you’ve taken measures to evict bats from your home, it’s important to install exclusion methods that will keep these flying critters out of your home. One-way doors are among the most common exclusion methods Floridians have installed in their home to keep bats out. These one-way doors allow bats to leave your house, but don’t allow them to re-enter your home.
However, because many of the 13 bat species in Florida are protected, you are only legally permitted to have someone install any bat exclusion methods during certain times of the year. From April to August, it’s illegal to install any exclusion tactics since that is when female bats are raising their pups. Installing one-way doors during this time would make it impossible for mother bats to get to her pups if she leaves the nest in search of food. The pups, left alone to fend for themselves, will likely die and eventually produce a foul odor in your home.
Safely Remove Bats from Your Home with Critter Control
When it comes to bats invading your home, it’s best to leave it up to the professionals. Bats and their excrement can pose serious health concerns especially if you don’t have the proper training. Thankfully the professionals at Critter Control of Tampa have the expertise necessary to humanely remove bats from your home, install exclusionary methods, and implement preventive measures to keep them out of your home.
For nearly 40 years, we’ve provided reliable preventive and exclusion solutions to safeguard your Tampa home against bats and other critters. Whether it’s for your home or for your office, we can help send those bats back to their cave. Give our team a call to learn more about our services, or request your free quote today.
