bats

I am still looking for an answer from one of you about the bats in my house. Literally. They are getting in somehow and fly around inside my house.

This happens every year between June and October. Please. Jeanette

I'd call an exterminator. If that's out of the question then you've got to figure out where they're coming in. Perhaps standing in a dark room and have someone stand outside with a spotlight to see where there's light coming through.

Do you have a fireplace? They'll fly down that. If your flew (did I spell that right) is open or has a hole in it they could be flying in there. They don't need much of a hole at all.

Just trying to help......

Good luck!

I think that might be your best bet too. Do you have drop cieling? Or do they seem to be mostly in one area? Check the attic, yes in the dark, usualy they get in from there since it is a high dark place and work thier way thru to the rest of the house. Otherwise call either an exterminator or a trapping service, they have more experience as to where and how they get in and can possibly locate where they are getting in at.
Good luck with this.

I killed one years ago, in my upstairs with a racquetball racquet LOL! How many do you have and do you play racquetball?
I've heard that you should go outside at dusk and watch until no more bats escape and then go up and seal the area in which they departed from. I had a friend who was infested with them and they eventually got their ole home completed batproof, however, he was a carpenter and could do the work himself.

if you find the place they are coming in at then at night after about two hours after dark block the hole up. they go out at night to catch bugs and return at daybreak to sleep. if they come back to a blocked hole they will have to find somewhere else to go.

an exterminator will probably do they same thing you can do by blocking up the whole and finding out where they come in at the only difference is the exterminator will charge you a bundle to do it.

A friend of mine had this problem for years. She did everything she could to get rid of them. Sided the house, cauked the blocks in the basement, put in new windows, had some batman come over and put netting all over the top of her house, put bunches of lights in the attic and went out to see where/if it was shining thru anywhere, we spent hours outside at dusk just watching to see where they came from nothing seemed to work. She finally figured out they must be flying in the back door when it opened for kids, dogs etc. She moved the mercury light which was drawing bugs (and therefor bats) right to her back door and we come in and out very quickly at her house at night and it seems to have worked has not had a problem since 3-4 years now knock on wood.

If you block up holes at night as suggested above you could well block in the babies and end up with a foul smell of decaying bodies.
I suggest you try to find where the bats are getting into your living space and plug that gap. They probably like being in your space as little as you like them being there. And, hopefully, you would rather they weren't killed. Bats help to keep down biting insect numbers and play an important role in our ecosystems.

They normally prefer to be under tiles, or perhaps in a roof space, where they do no harm. They don't chew like rodents or bring in nesting material like birds. They just hang up and use the space to have their babies. The mothers suckle their young and after they become too large to carry while they are flying they leave them in the roost while the mums go out to look for food. Shortly after this the babies learn to fly and forage for themselves.

As they usually have no more than one baby a year it is a great loss if bats are killed and the numbers take a long time to recover.
Please show compassion for these animals, which do no harm

Where I lived for several years in Austin, Texas, there is a bat society, with the express intent of educating persons who do not value these beneficial creatures. Bats eat several times their weight in mosquitoes and other flying insects per night. Austin has the largest urban colony of bats in the USA. They live there 6 mos. out of the year and migrate to Mexico during the winter. (There are almost no mosquitoes, hence no deaths from West Nile, in Austin.)

Why kill the bats? Simply close all possible entry points to your house from the attic and let them live there. As posted above, if you have a light attracting bugs by the door, move it. If you want them to move out, why not put up bat houses? You can find plans on the internet, or even ready-made ones, just google the phrase "bat house". The houses must be placed from 15 to 30 feet off the ground (in a tree, perhaps? on the side of an existing building?) and face southeast to attract bats efficiently. Their guano is a highly prized and quite expensive fertilizer, by the way.

Where I now live in Houston, the mosquitoes are hellish because no one appreciates bats here. Fortunately, the bats have found me and I have almost no mosquitoes! I cannot say the same for the rest of Houston.

It is purely a myth that they have more diseases than, say, raccoons or squirrels.

Jnette,
I have a bat house I bought some years ago that unfortunately is currently a spider house in my garage. I hope to mount it some day. I bought it because I read that bats eat alot of mosqquitos. Pinklotus and philomel are right, maybe you should try to mount some bat houses outside to draw them out so you can still reap the benefits, but not have unwanted visitors in your house. Think of the benefits: no mosquitos, free fertilzer for you garden. Sounds like a great little eco enviroment to me. I only wish I had a tree to mount my bat house on.

We have had 2 bats in the house in 7 yrs. Both captured with my pond net, held with welding gloves and released outside. I think they learned not to come back. This house is so old there are many ways for them to get in. Every few weeks or so I make sure the attic hasn't become a roost. I once saw a bat on the ground in the dog yard in daylight. It dissapeared later so the dogs could go out again. Don't know if it was rabid or sick. Just wanted it to leave, it did. I like bats. Frank

I was looking out of our bedroom window one evening when suddenly right below the window out of doors, bats escaped from the house. The next day, at the same time I went outside waiting to see where they are coming from. They roosted between the shingles and wall of the house but they never were inside to my relief, though I know how important they are I do not care to live with them in by bedroom. Every evening I watched them and were they ever punctual. Bats were always in our barn, they were kind of messy with loads of their droppings . DH was going to build a bat house for them hoping they'd like their new home better. Due to his illnes he never got around to do this, we had to sell the farm house. Unfortunately, the new owners discovered the bats and had them exterminated.

What a shame, they only roosted between the shingles and the wall.

I would LOVE to attact anything that eats mosquitos. Is this a good time to put up a bat house? How about the birds that eat bugs? I have a ton of seed eating birds, how can I attract mosquito eaters?

Bats are THE mosquito eaters Razzie :)
A bathouse is a good idea anytime. Bats need different conditions throughout the year and for differing weather conditions, so the more they have to choose from the better. If you can put up more than one in different places even better...

Okay, husband thinks I'm crazy...Can I tell them they are cardinal houses?

LOLOL
Or a palace for fairies?? *G*
Tell him anything you like and remember - it's not you that's crazy ;oD

Yep! Bats can get in the smallest, teeniest, tiniest crevice you can imagine! And yes, they DO hang in doorways and drop in, uninvited, when the door is opened. BOY, do I know the habit of checking the doorframes and lights before I enter the house. :-)

Living in a rural area close to the Wisconsin River (and the rocky caves!) we have had far more than our share of bats.

I'll never forget the first time one was sighted in our living room. It startled my DH *so* bad that before I knew what happened, HE was under the coffee table squealing like a 4-year old girl. :-D :-D (He's NOT usually afraid of anything!) And then there was the time that one somehow got on the bed and was crawling up the length of his body. (Bats supposedly can't fly when they land on the floor...again, supposedly, they must drop from their perch in order to become airborne. - Nice to know, eh? ;-) )

Anyway, at first, we (*I*) killed those that got inside...then we learned a LOT about them. I appreciate the mosquito-eating habit bats have so now, when possible, I'll try to open a door and let them out.

A long time ago I discovered that I can use a spray bottle of water misted into the air when they fly too near my head. I'll use that method to "herd" them toward the escape route. But if they try *living* in my house, I'm awfully good with a badminton racket.

Bats are fine as long as they try to remember to live OUTDOORS! We had one come inside last evening. First one for us in our new house. That one made it alive. :-)

~julie~

HI, I know that one pest control in this area will do the shine the light thing and then plug up the holes. (Tis rather a bit pricey for us) We had a shake shingle roof and it is a cabin that has been made over so lots of holes. They do roost in the areas between the siding and the roof of the entry way. I just have to be more careful about holding the door open when calling for the dogs to come in from their "last time out for the night trip") I did the racket thing once, but that was it. I now do a chase/track around till tired and then capture/release, using thick leather gloves. This is not a method I recommend, but one that I have used successfully. Where I live, the bats are very welcome-mosquitos and no-see-ums up the kazoo.

Thanks you all for your responses to my problem. I called Fish & Wildlife and they gave me some trappers phone numbers but they, the trappers, didn't want to do anything because my house is an A frame and they didn't want the heighth.

One of you sent me the website www.batcon.org. That had an awful lot of info. Like, bat houses should not be put in trees. Should be put on a pole.

I too, realize the benefits of having them around. One of the forums I watch on the garden web the people in my part of the state, are complaining about all of the aphids and other bugs being so bad on their plants. I do not have so much as one aphid. Knock on wood. And very few mosquitos. That could be because of the bats?????

However, I do not want them living with me in the house. Many yars ago my daughter and her husband rented a house on a marina on a lake and bats were in the attic in one bedroom. They, and the landlord knew they were there so they just sealed up the bedroom and didn't go in there. Finally, the ceiling caved in in that bedroom from the weight of the bat guano.

I called an exterminator and they said it is illegal to kill bats because of their beneficial habits. I was also told that we do not have rabies in the Northwest. Anyway, the exterminator said they would have to wait until around October before they could seal up anything so to be sure all bats were out and migrating.

At this point I have bought screen fabric from Home Depot and velcro. I am making screens that overlap in the middle so that when people, or dogs, go through, the screen automatically falls shut. That way, if people forget to hurry with the doors they will be closed.

I had thought about the mercury vapor light wihich is close to the house but had the big argument with my husband about moving it and since I cannot do it, it is still there. Guess I will give that another go round.

btw, bats are not attracted to the light other than the bugs the light brings in. We have done the light trick as far as going outside at night and we have plugged everything we could see.

Other than moving the light and making the screens I guess I am pretty much stuck with them. I can make a bat house or 2 or 3 but don't know how I would get them on a pole 20 or 30 feet in the air. We live in a rural area with hardly any "Jack of all Trades" around. (including my husband).

Thanks for all of your help, Jeanette

Even though it is true that they eat a lot of insects and do your house no harm by chewing; it's the guano that's the problem.......

OMG would love to have bats in my house I HATE mosquitos.
a friend of mine has one in his attic he cleans up the little pile it makes about once a year. my Grandmother gets one in the house (not for awhile now) i just use the fish net(6x8 apx) from my pond and catch it and put it outside

Now I am thinking they may be coming down the wiring through the holes in the ceiling with the wires. I have 5 of those ultrasonic noise makers that only the bats, bugs, rodents etc. can hear.

Problem is that noise does not go through the walls. Once the bats get in here they might not want to stay because of that noise but it's too late. They don't know how to get out. If I open the door I will probably get more in before the bat leaves.

Jeanette

If you have that many bats in your house, it could be that you have something else in your house that the bats are liking. We encourage bats to our farm and have very little mosquito problem. You may want an exterminator to come and see if you have termites or mosquitoes living in your woodwork, thus drawing the bats. Bats can fit in the tiniest of places, we once had one behind the molding in our dining room (another place) and the only reason we knew is that one of the "hands" popped up outside the molding. They can flatten themselves to nothing.

Good luck, Kathy

I have tried to attract bats for years with little success. I have two bat houses and had them hung exactly to instructions and never did get a bat. BooHoo

of all the s*** i read this thread while i was home for lunch and when i got back to work there was a bat flying around the shop. i saw it flying and at first thought it was a bird (we do get those also from time to time) i was going to try to grab it then at the last second realised that the wings were not feathers and what it was used a garden rake to trap it then put a bucket over it and slid a piece of paper board under it and put it out side. going to go play the lottery tonight lol

Troy, Thank you for saving the bat......they are so good to have around. We have a lot of caves in KY, and perhaps some in our woods. Could be why we have so many at our farm and very few mosquitoes. :)......and we have a pond!

Kathy, the thing wrong with that thinking is that the bats that we don't get die. We find them lying on the floor dead. My surmise is that they aren't getting anything to eat. They fly around the house which is pretty close quarters for them and it tires them out real bad. So, we can get those.

But bats normally are looking for food when they fly around and since they aren't finding any in the house they die. I don't think they want to be in here any more than we want them in here but they don't know how to get out. If we open the door for them we would probably get more than just that one.

I have 4 of those ultrasonic gizmos plugged in around the house. We cannt hear them and the dog cannot hear them. Just the bats, rodents, bugs etc. don't like them. Apparently they make noises like loud rock bands to them. So, you can imagine what 4 would do. We used to have stink bugs come in the house. haven't seen any since the initial ones that were here when we got the first one of those pest-a-lators. And later found those dead.

I am beginning to think the bats are coming in through the holes for thewiring for the fans and lights. The wiring comes in above the beams. (A frame) We cannot get to it. I think they are coming in in the kitchen. So, I put a real strong one of those pest- a- lators on top of the wall oven 'cause that is nearest that hole. Maybe they will hear it before they get into the room and back up. Those sounds do not go through walls etc.

Honibee, bring your trap and you can camp here and get all the bats you want.

Troy, that bat has probably been flying around your shop for a long time and you never noticed it until you read my thread. How did the lottery go? I want my share!!!!

Jeanette

OK, here's an update on my bat problem:

My daughter and family came for a visit and stayed upstairs in the loft bedroom. They actually saw the bats peering at them from a place where the wall board meets the ceiling and it didn't. Meet the ceiling that is.

They would come out and fly around the loft during the day and go outside to get bugs at night. We covered that space with steel wool and duck tape of all things. Hopefully that will take care of the problem.

When I find a professional taper I will have the duck tape rmoved and the space fixed right. Also, we found where they are coming and going outside so hopefully in October I can find someone to fix that problem also.

The help I got from you all was wonderful. Thanks a lot.

Jeanette

Way to go jnette. Finding those tiny holes is the hardest part. I love bats but..... not in my house.

I have them all over my house :D :D
Behind shutters mainly, but also under tiles, behind fascia, in the barn. Wonderful to see them - and know they are eating all those bitey things LOL
Occasionally one comes indoors. Usually they find their way out under their own steam, bit, if not, a gloved hand or hand in cloth gently helps them on their way.

One made a wrong move when drinking from the swimming pool and ended up 'in the drink'. I was amzed to see how strongly it swam! After a quick dry and warm up it flew off rather indignantly.

You need the holes in your loft space to allow air movement, otherwise you end up with rot etc. Bats don't chew or bring anything in, they just hang up and look after their babies.

Yes, I know about the air movement in the roof. We have vents covered with 1/4" hardware cloth. But, I don't need all of the cracks that are apparent ly in my siding. T-111. Poor fit in that spot I guess.

It is nice that you don't have the bats as regular visitors flying around your head like we did. I can't imagine them swimming. That is funny. Jeanette

A couple of times they've flown in through my open bedroom window, had a good look round and then flown out again.
I agree that if they are flying within your own living space, neither they nor you want them there. I was just suggesting that, if the holes allowing this can be closed but still allowing them to roost in the roof area they will do no harm :)

Hi Philomel, yes, that is what I have decided on. As long as they don't fly in the house.

I think I am probably gun shy (bat shy) now though. If one came in the door while we are bbqing and flew around I would think we had them in the house again.

Jeanette

Well there are worse things...... http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=Rats
LOL

No, seriously, all animals are OK in the right place ;)

Philomel, I don't think I willl bookmark that link thanks. Jeanette

LOL
I wondered after I sent it if I should have done - thanks for being a good sport ;)

When I looked at it I had to look to see where you lived. Does that hve anything to do with it? LOL Jeanette

I live inSW Oregon where 3 cases of rabies (1 bat, 2 foxes) have been confirmed in the past 2 years. The foxes were both right here in Tiller were I live. Knowing of these cases I decided to do a search for rabies in Washington. There was a confirmed case in a cat in Cowlitz County in 2002,
http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/health/temp/first_reported_cat_rabies_i.htm
and in 1995 a child in Washington died of rabies.
http://www.cdc.gov.mmwr.PDF.wk/mm4434.pdf
If these links don't work, email me, please, and I'll send them to you.

I'm urging caution, not fear. Any deceased wildlife, including birds, should be handled only with gloves.

Washington first reported West Nile in 2002, and Oregon just this month had it's first confirmed case.

Please be careful!

Continuing the search......there was a confirmed rabies case in a raccoon in NW Washington in July of this year.

Tigerlilly, I think we have finally gotten the bats out of the living area of ou r home. And this fall after they migrate will close up the hole where they are getting into the wall.

I am not sure about rabies in Washington, will look at the links, the trapper said WFWL (fish & wildlife) sends him any information because of his business and he said they have said we don't have any.

I will look at the links and then try to get hold of him and tell him.

Thanks for the heads up. btw, we don't touch anything like that without gloves.

Jeanette