In the midst of their prime season, you may be seeing bats flapping around your home. This brings one main thing to the minds of Alabama residents- How do you get the bats out of your house and keep them out? The answer is simple- humane bat exclusion.
Bats are precious to the fragile balance of our natural world but pose many threats to human health and safety. They receive protection by law, and it’s illegal to harm or kill this unique animal.
That’s why Covenant Wildlife Removal offers the most humane and safe bat removal method, called bat exclusion. Please continue reading to learn more about the bats in Alabama and their conflicting threats and benefits. And, of course, discover what bat exclusion is and how it remains the best way to remove bats from your home to protect you and your family.
The Need for Bat Exclusion in Alabama
Our southern state is home to 16 species of bats, two of which are endangered species. Sharing our land with bats comes with the responsibility of knowing their status and how to protect them.
Use the following information to get familiar with these fuzzy flying mammals:
Gray Bats– This endangered bat species has glossy, long, light brown to brown fur with dark ears. About 95% of the Gray bat population hibernates in the same nine caves every winter. Unfortunately, their populations have declined by 80% in less than 20 years because of human impact.
Indiana Bats– These small bats have gray, blackish-brown fur. They were one of the first species to be listed as endangered in 1967. Like the Gray bats, their decline is mainly a result of human disturbance during hibernation in their caves.
Northern Long-Eared Bats– In 2015, this brownish-black bat was on the threatened species list. They are greatly affected by the white-nose syndrome, which is identified by a white fungus that grows on their muzzle when hibernating.
Are Bats Dangerous?
Humans and bats have a very fascinating and complicated relationship. On the one hand, humans have negatively affected their populations for many years. This is unfortunate due to the essential benefits bats provide worldwide. That’s precisely why removing bats from your home is best using the bat exclusion method.
And on the other hand, bats are known to carry ill-causing diseases and parasites that could be detrimental to human health. Not to mention, they can do severe damage to buildings they occupy for an extended period.
Nevertheless, bats are critical to a healthy and happy planet. So, it’s our job to learn how to work with- not against– this precious animal.
They Spread Disease
Even if the bat appears to be in perfect health, it could be carrying numerous diseases easily transferred to other animals, including humans and pets. If a human is infected, they’ll likely end up in the hospital.
Some of the most common diseases transmitted by bats are the following:
- Rabies
- Histoplasmosis
- Salmonellosis
Bats Carry Parasites
However, diseases aren’t the only health concern bats bring to the table. They are hosts for some nasty parasites, too. These parasites can cause a slew of issues for human health.
Some of the most dangerous parasites bats host are bat flies, bat bugs, fleas, ticks, and mites.
Bats and Building Damage
Be careful when assuming that the damage bats can do to your home is caused by their scratching and chewing. Then, if you get rid of them, the issue is over, right? Wrong.
In fact, bats do not gnaw or scrape the structure of your home. When it comes to significant damage, their droppings are the culprit. Not only do you need to worry about stains and odor, but their feces can cause wood to decay and corrosion of other vital structures.
Why Do We Need Bats Around?
As mentioned before, bats are protected, which is why bat exclusion is the method used to remove them from your property. With the rapid and recent decline of essential bat populations, we have truly learned that their presence is more than necessary.
Researchers continue to find more and more benefits of this unique animal. Some of the most notable contributions of bats include:
- Bats Consume Pests– The bat’s primary diet is flying insects, many of which destroy valuable crops. Their decline can and will significantly impact the growth of sugarcane, nuts, tomatoes, beans, corn, and so much more.
- Our Flowers and Crops Need Bats– Over 700 different plants are pollinated by our beloved bats. Some plants that wouldn’t survive without bats are bananas, dates, mangoes, and avocados.
- They’re an Essential Part of the Rainforest– Rainforest bats have a vital role in spreading the seeds for growth. Known as seed dispersal, bats eat the fruits of the forest and spread them throughout the tropical land when the seeds drop to the fertile soil through their guano.
What Should You Do if You Have Bats in Your Home?
Because of their natural habitat decline, bats have been known to roost in homes. The most common places you may find them are the attic and the chimney.
Many times, they’re only passing through as they migrate. Nevertheless, they are a nuisance due to their ability to spread disease and parasites and damage the home’s structure. Bats can also be pretty noisy and bring an unpleasant and pungent odor.
It is illegal to trap and kill bats in most U.S. states, including Alabama. When they infest your home, you’ll need to call on the professionals for humane and effective bat exclusion.
So, the best way to avoid the hazards of bats is to start with prevention.
Tips and Tricks for Preventing Bats:
- Seal all possible entryways from significant gaps and openings to the tiniest fractures in the home’s structure.
- Use bat doors and chimney caps to further your efforts to prevent bats from invading your house.
- Set up decoys of their main predators, like an owl.
Suppose you suspect a bat infestation. In that case, use the following signs and indicators to help confirm if the noises you are hearing or smells you have observed are, in fact, from bats.
Signs of Bats in the House:
- Noise– You will primarily hear bat activity during the night and late evening hours. The sounds you want to keep an ear out for are popping, clicking, and scratching.
- Sights– You may have a bat problem if you see large amounts of small, dark pellets of bat droppings or tiny brownish stains around entryways. Furthermore, observing bats flying from or around your home is a significant indicator of roosting bats.
- Smells– The scent bats create smells a lot like strong ammonia.
Get the Bats Out with Bat Exclusion
Unfortunately, many of the DIY bat removal techniques do not work. Though the methods may work for a moment, they are never a long-term solution. So, forget using ultrasonic devices, mothballs, and aerosol sprays.
The one and only way to get rid of the bats roosting in your home is to reach out to a professional team for bat exclusion. It’s a relatively simple process of using netting or tubes to cover the entryways. This unique method allows the bats to fly out of the home unharmed. And they are unable to find their way back in.
How Bat Exclusion Works
1 | Identifying the Entry Points
The first step to removing bat exclusion is for an experienced team to determine where the bats are entering and exiting the home. In the daylight, professionals will look for gaps and cracks in the structure with evidence of bat activity, like stains and guano.
Then, in the early evening, they’ll observe the possible entryways, waiting to see bats flying in and out of the gaps. Once the main entry points have been identified, they can move on to setting up the bat exclusion nets or tubes.
2 | Setting Up the Exclusionary Devices
Over the bat’s entry points, the professional will install tubes or, more commonly, nets. Using duct tape or stables, the net is attached to the structure in a loose form, allowing plenty of space for the bats to drop through and fly out.
The net is placed so that the top is wider than the hole at the bottom. This makes it, so the bats will not be able to fly back through the net to return to their nesting area inside the home.
3 | Wait for The Bat Exclusion Method to Do its Magic
Over about two to four days, the bats roosting in your home should be entirely removed with the bat exclusion technique. However, in the winter months, when bats hibernate, the process may take all season as they wake and exit the home.
4 | Guano Clean Up
The final step to removing the dangers of bats is to get rid of their disease-carrying and destructive droppings. Many safety and health hazards are involved in cleaning up bat waste after bat exclusion. For this reason, it is not a task you should take on independently.
It’s a job best left to an experienced team with the right tools and protective gear.
Trust Covenant Wildlife to Safe and Humane Bat Exclusion
The team at Covenant Wildlife Removal prides itself on our humane bat exclusion process. If you suspect an infestation of these unique and vital creatures, give us a call today.
We will safely and effectively remove the bats roosting in your home and have them out in no time at all.
