As the villain of innumerable "B" movies, and the subject of myth and superstition, bats have an undeservedly bad reputation. Did you know that they are quite clean, and that they don't fly into your hair? They don't have more rabies than other mammals, and they can eat up to 3000 mosquitoes per night - each! So you want them around.

But while bats are intriguing and beneficial creatures, if they get into your home, they can become really annoying. Starting in mid-August (for most of the USA) you will have a window of opportunity to rid your house of bats relatively easily. Here's how.

First, you will need to provide alternative housing for the bats before you start excluding them from your home. Bat populations have been in decline for the last few years because of lack of habitat. Additionaly, you want the benefits of having them around.

The next step is to determine where the bats are coming/going from your house. There may be one - or many - ways bats are getting into your home. You may be able to find these entry/exit points by going into your darkened attic in daylight and look for light leaks. Or, you may be able to observe the bats coming and going.

If there are multiple points of entry, you will need to seal permanently all but the most obvious point of entry (you need to leave one entry point to allow the bats to leave.)

Once you have eliminated all but one entry point, you will need to devise a way of allowing the bats to leave, but not reenter. There are two basic ways of doing this.

1. Each night after the bats leave, temporarily plug the entry hole, so they cannot return in the morning. If any bats remain, the next day, open the entry hole to allow the remaining bats to leave. You may need to repeat the process for several nights. (Note, depending upon your situation, this method may require climbing ladders at night. In which case I cannot recommend this procedure. Use your own judgment.)

2. There are valve-like devices available that allow bats to leave, but not return. Here's a link to one such device: batfree.com. You can make a check valve yourself, as described here (page 5) Wildlifecontrol.info. (This pdf file has lots of valuable bat information.)

The timing of when you do your bat removal is very important. Your bat removal must be done between mid-August and mid-May. This is the time when the young bats have been weaned and can fly, but the bats are not yet breeding again. This time frame is appropriate for North America. Bat removal at any other time is inhumane, and will trap bats in your home, creating other problems. (Check with a local extension agent as to when bats occupy roosts in your area.)

These procedures should work, but every situation is different. By providing an alternative roost, you not only get the bats out of your house, but retain the benefits of having bats around.

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About the Author

Phil Winter is co-owner of Wild Bird Goodies which specializes in houses, feeders, information and resources for wild birds and bats. In addition, Phil co-owns two other companion sites, is a web designer and photographer specializing in travel and nature photography.

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