Undoubtedly, bats serve an important role in our environment; they can eat several thousand insects, such as mosquitoes, in just one night.

However, they can also be dangerous and cause damage if they roost in buildings or come into contact with people. Bats commonly live in building walls, attics, or between the roof and ceiling of residential and commercial properties.

More importantly, their droppings and dead bats not only emit a very unpleasant odor, but they can contaminate property and heating systems as well.

They can live in colonies that range from one to several hundred; if left to their own devices, bats can quickly and thoroughly infiltrate small spaces in a home or business making their removal even more difficult. Indeed, a bat colony will double in size every year, and they tend to return to the same roosting grounds year in and year out.

Moreover, there are some serious health risks associated with a bat infestation. Bats are the most common carriers of rabies, which always leads to death in infected and untreated humans.

Also, inhaled droppings can cause histoplasmosis which may lead to severe illness in the very young, very old, and immune-compromised.

So, how do you get rid of bats?

Find the Bats

Bats are fairly easily identified if there is one flying around your house, but if there is one bat there are probably others living in the attic, walls, or roof.

They like to sleep in tight corners and even under insulation so it can be very difficult to locate them. Due to the difficulty associated with finding bats, not to mention the health risks associated with removing bats, it is always advisable to hire a qualified professional to remove bats from your home.

Removing Bats

Ideally, you not only want to remove live bats from your home or business but also all dead bats and bat droppings as well. This can be a particularly arduous task.

Bats can be quite small, often able to fit through a hole the width of a dime, and their carcasses can be difficult to find.

Removing bats during the maternity season will likely guarantee that the bat pups die in your building and potential health risks remain. Instead, contact a pest control professional to find out the best season for removing bats from your building. In fact, you should always hire a professional for bat removal.

Preventing Bats

You should try to locate points of entry by searching for bat droppings. Broken or ill-fitting screens, loose shingles or roof tiles, loose flashing or siding, pipe entry points, and cracks and crevices in cement are all common points of entry for bats.

You’ll want to make sure all these entry points are sealed. Also, outdoor bats can move into your building, so there are some prevention tips to encourage them to move away.

A cup of mothballs in a sack tied to a nesting area will discourage bats from nesting, but you’ll likely have to regularly replace these mothballs as bats like to return to old nesting sites. Also, aerosol dog or cat repellent can be sprayed in roosting areas during the day when bats aren’t around.

Still, removing and preventing bats from roosting or nesting in and around your property can be extremely difficult. It is always advisable to seek the assistance of a professional to ensure bats are eliminated effectively and permanently.