How to Get Rid of Bats (Top EFFECTIVE Bat Removal Solutions)

Bat Removal Difficulty Image
Getting rid of a single bat is usually easier than removing a whole group of bats.

How should you get rid of bats when bats are protected in most U.S. states (and other places in the world) and it is typically illegal to kill them. Therefore, if you are trying to get rid of the bats that took your home or building as a place to live, then wait for the right time to start this process. While bats are highly beneficial to have around because they eat many unwanted insects, bats can also be stinky and smelly if they take up residence in your attic.

If you ever have to put up with this smell seeping into your home, you are going to try to learn right away how to get rid of bats. If you find that you are a victim of having bats in your home or commercial building then you should consider what season it is before taking any steps to get rid of them.

What to do if you find a bat in your home

Seasonal Aspects of Bat Removal

Summer is the time for the female bat to give birth and until the pups are old enough to fly on their own you do not want to trap them inside. Otherwise, they could die inside your home or building and it could really smell bad. It is not a humane decision to make either. Newborns take about five weeks before they can take care of themselves. During the Winter, the bats hibernate and never fly outside.

This would kill all of them if you block out the areas they enter and exit. Therefore, the best time to take steps in getting rid of bats is during the Spring and Fall.

Click here to stop being a victim of having bats in your house.

This also allows the bats to fly to another location for survival. If you live in an area that contains many bats then you may want to create a bat home outside the home or building that they are nesting in. This will help them find at least a temporary place to stay until they move on to another location.

Find bat entry points into buildings

Find Bat Entryways Into Your Building

Determine where the bats are living in your home or building by walking around to see where there are bat droppings. If they are fairly new then you may not see many droppings and will not be able to locate the bats based on this theory.

Start searching for openings to the home that include cracks, poorly fitted screens or broken screens, missing shingles, loose boards around windows, crevices or loose siding, and chimneys. Keep in mind that bats can enter such a small area that the hole could be the size of a dime and they will still be able to enter. If you cannot locate the area then have a professional come out and take care of the situation. You can also wait at night to see when the bats’ exit to get an idea of where they may be entering.

Bat exclusion process from start to finish

Netting Bat Entryways Help Prevent Bats

Repair the areas that were damaged. Do not seal the areas up just yet. Only place netting over an area that will prevent the bats that have exited from reentering. Bats will feed every 24 to 48 hours so not all of the bats will leave at the same time. 

It can take up to seven days to make sure all of the bats have left. Each day you will need to remove the netting and replace it again once more bats have left. After the seven days keep the netting on the areas of damage. You can prolong the time if you feel not all of the bats are out. The last thing you want is one or more dying in your home and sending off an even worse odor than before.

As bats do not have multiple exits, they typically leave from the same place they enter and will not consider leaving anywhere else. With this in mind, make sure they are all gone before sealing up the holes and cracks. One of the best ways to ensure that you will not have any bats left behind is to use a one-way exit valve or tube or a one-way bat netting that is typically sold by pest control dealers.

This will save you a ton of time as you will not have to continuously remove the netting each day.

Attic bat guano and contamination removal

Bat Odor Removal and Prevention

Once all of the bats are gone you will need to clean up and remove the odor. With plenty of feces and urine to get rid of, use protective gear with a respirator, gloves, goggles, and a long sleeve shirt. Once you have cleaned up everything then you can begin sealing up all of the cracks and repairing any damaged wood, shingles, and siding that is needed.

Do an annual check on the home or building to make sure that everything has remained intact and there are no additional problems that need to be fixed. If you suspect that there are new bats then continue with the process once again.

Save a ton of time and energy to get your bat problem solved!

It may be less expensive if you try to get rid of bats on your own, but using professional help can help save you a ton of time and energy. You may not be able to reach the areas where the bats are living but with the proper equipment you can take of the situation and a professional will have everything that is needed at hand.

Further Bat Removal Articles:

  1. Bat Resources – University of Nebraska at Lincoln
  2. Keeping Bats Away
  3. Bats and Rabies – University of Michigan

By David Jackson

I enjoy learning about new pest control strategies and sharing what I learn at NeverPest.com. I aim to create a reliable resource for people dealing with all sorts of pest issues.

2 comments

  1. Bats are pretty annoying. I was reading an article online and one specific lady made mention she had this problem for years until she tried the moth balls in water method. Three days later they were gone.
    Repellents are also effect, especially in areas of the home such as your porch.

    1. Thanks for sharing Sam. Do you have any idea why bats are deterred by moth balls and water? Maybe it’s because a common source of their food (moths) is removed?

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