When the thought of infestation comes to mind, mice or insects are typically brought up. A lesser known pest can be bats; in fact, bats can smoothly go undetected once in someone’s home. We’re here to help! We hope to equip you with signs that you have a bat infestation.
Bats often remind people of things that go bump in the night and weird habits like drinking blood. We, however, see them as kind of cute and a natural exterminator for insects. This doesn’t mean we like them being in our homes, though.
Here at CP Bat Mitigation, we hope to empower you with more knowledge of these cute winged creatures and teach you the signs of an infestation. Keep reading for five signs of bats infestation in a home or business!
If you believe you do have bats in your belfry and would like some help, visit our site today. We look forward to offering you a free quote.
Common Signs You Have A Bat Infestation
If you see a bat flying in your house, you surely realize you have at least one, if not an infestation. But how do you know if bats are the culprit when you don’t see them, you just hear or smell them? Here are a few signs you might have a bat infestation in your home or attic.
Flights At Dusk And Dawn
- Bats often fly in or out of their homes, or roosts, just before dawn or just after dusk. They fly in groups called cauldrons or colonies and will often linger where they live.
- The number of bats in a colony will depend on the amount of food in the area. In the wild, colonies can range from a few dozen bats to a few hundred.
- In nature, bats will live in caves and other places that will offer warmer temperatures in colder months. They also live in areas that are shielded during the day and have places to hold onto while they are sleeping. As you can imagine, attics or other nooks in buildings are perfect for this habit.
- If you should suddenly notice a pattern of groups of bats flying at these times, you may have a roost near. This swooping of groups of bats can be a sign of a bat problem.
Entry Points
Bats are able to come and go through smaller spaces. Through attic vents, between bricks of a wall, and down unused fireplaces are perfect examples of entry points.
How do you know this is where they are getting in? If you notice finger-sized holes with greasy streaks, it is a sign of bats. These mammals can squeeze through, and on the way in, the oils and dirt from their fur will smear. The grease is often a mixture of grey or brown and is made up of the dirt and oil trapped in their fur.
To prevent bats from coming into your home, you can take a step like covering vents and holes with screens.
Mystery Smells
- Bats will often roost in places that are unseen if they are in a home. Bat urine and waste are high in ammonia, which will put out an odor. Bats leave these tracings.
- If bats are in your attic or chimney, for example, tracking down the origin of their scent may be hard. Those with past infestations will often reference an odd new odor that they just can’t find.
Guano
- For those unfamiliar with our flying friends, bat feces is referred to as guano. In some places, it is, in fact, used as a fertilizer. Its high concentration of Nitrogen, Phosphates, and Potassium make it ideal for fertilizing plants.
- Due to the way that bats roost, their guano will often fall into large piles. Over time these piles will crumble into dust. This is highly dangerous for humans to breathe in.
- Guano contains fungus, and the spores breathed in can lead to diseases of the lungs. In a recent article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) names Histoplasmosis is a common disease associated with guano.
- If you notice bat droppings in your home or business, contact us about removing it safely.
Sounds Like Bats
- Another telltale sign of bats is noise. You may be wondering, what sounds do bats make?
- Sounds associated with bats are a flapping sound, high-pitched screeching, and scratching. This noise may be especially audible during their busy times. It will likely be a louder noise, as bats typically roost with their colonies.
Leave It To The Pros
Should you find yourself with a roost on your hands, we implore you not to handle it yourself. Bats are a fickle species, and handling them can be dangerous. In fact, most D.I.Y. methods will scare bats, making them agitated and more of an issue.
We at CP Bat Mitigation believe in humanely rehoming them to an area where they can contribute to the ecosystem. As we covered earlier, bats can play an important part in an ecosystem by eating certain insects and creatures.
Fruit bats are an interesting example of contributing to an ecosystem because they pollinate plants. For nine additional reasons to love bats, check out our blog.
In the United States, bats are often protected by law as endangered species. While they are not the best guests, they are important and mostly friendly.
Happy To Help
Most who call for an estimate or removal services are scared of the nocturnal creatures in their homes. We see them as a misunderstood species. They contribute to the ecosystems they naturally occur in, and there are a wide variety of species.
There are 1,300 to be exact, with 47 of them living in the United States.
For over ten years, CP Bat Mitigation has operated with safety and integrity at the forefront. When you reach out, we come to you to observe then offer a free quote. Once the bats have been removed, we will return to make sure that the job is done.
We proudly serve South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.
We invite you to visit our site today to read more about these creatures of the night. We offer blogs with fun facts and tips to protect your home from bats.
Reach out to us today for a free quote for professional bat removal.