How to Get Rid of Bats: Understanding Your Winged Houseguests and Finding Peaceful Solutions

I'll never forget the first time I discovered bats in my attic. It was a sweltering August evening, and I'd climbed up there to investigate some scratching sounds that had been keeping me awake. What I found was a maternity colony of little brown bats – about thirty of them, hanging upside down like tiny leather umbrellas. My initial reaction was pure panic, followed by an overwhelming urge to grab a broom and start swinging. Thank goodness I didn't.

That experience launched me into a decade-long journey of understanding these misunderstood creatures and helping homeowners deal with bat invasions in ways that are both effective and humane. Because here's the thing most people don't realize: getting rid of bats isn't just about sealing up holes or calling an exterminator. It's about understanding why they're there in the first place and working with their natural behaviors rather than against them.

The Reality of Living with Uninvited Bats

Bats in your home present a genuine problem that goes beyond the "ick" factor. Their droppings, called guano, can accumulate quickly and create serious health hazards. The fungus that grows in bat guano can cause histoplasmosis, a respiratory disease that's particularly dangerous for people with compromised immune systems. Then there's the rabies concern – while less than 1% of bats carry rabies, any bat behaving strangely or found in living spaces should be treated as potentially rabid.

But before you reach for the poison or start planning a full-scale assault, consider this: bats are incredibly beneficial creatures. A single little brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour. That colony in your attic? They're probably consuming millions of insects every summer night, including agricultural pests that would otherwise be destroying crops or requiring pesticide use.

The challenge becomes finding a balance between protecting your home and family while respecting these ecologically vital animals. And yes, in many places, bats are legally protected, which means improper removal can land you in hot water with wildlife authorities.

Why Your House Becomes a Bat Hotel

Understanding why bats choose your home is crucial to solving the problem permanently. Bats aren't trying to annoy you – they're simply looking for what all creatures need: shelter, safety, and a good place to raise their young.

Your attic mimics their natural roosting sites remarkably well. It's dark, warm, protected from predators, and often has perfect entry points through gaps as small as 3/8 of an inch. That's about the width of a dime. Female bats, in particular, seek out warm spaces for their maternity colonies because baby bats (called pups) can't regulate their body temperature.

I once worked with a homeowner who'd been battling bats for years, sealing up hole after hole, only to have them return each spring. Turns out, she was only addressing half the problem. The bats kept coming back because her property offered everything they needed – not just shelter, but also a nearby pond that attracted insects and large trees that provided excellent navigation landmarks. Sometimes the solution isn't just about the house; it's about understanding the entire ecosystem of your property.

The Art of Humane Bat Eviction

Now, let's talk about actually getting these winged tenants to move out. The most effective method I've found is exclusion – essentially creating a one-way door that lets bats leave but prevents them from returning. This isn't as simple as it sounds, and timing is everything.

Never, and I mean never, attempt exclusion during maternity season (typically May through August in most of North America). Baby bats can't fly for their first few weeks of life. If you seal up entry points while the mothers are out hunting, you'll trap helpless pups inside to die. Not only is this inhumane, but it's also illegal in many jurisdictions and will leave you with a much worse problem – decomposing bats in your walls.

The best time for exclusion work is either early spring before females give birth or late summer/early fall after the young can fly but before hibernation. In my experience, September is often ideal in temperate climates.

Creating Your Exclusion System

The exclusion process requires patience and attention to detail. First, you need to identify all entry points. This means inspecting your entire roofline, looking for gaps around chimneys, vents, loose shingles, and where different building materials meet. Bats often enter through ridge vents, gable vents, and the spaces where fascia boards meet the roof.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I confidently sealed what I thought was the only entry point on a client's home, only to have the bats simply move to a secondary entrance I'd missed. Now I spend hours doing thorough inspections, often at dusk when I can actually watch the bats emerge.

For the actual exclusion devices, you can use several materials. Lightweight polypropylene netting works well – attach it at the top and sides of the entry point, leaving the bottom open so bats can drop down and fly away but can't crawl back up. Some people use PVC pipe cut at an angle, though I find this less reliable for larger colonies.

The key is to leave these devices in place for at least a week, preferably two, to ensure all bats have left. Bats don't leave their roost every night, especially during cool or rainy weather, so patience is essential.

Sealing the Fortress

Once you're certain all bats have vacated, it's time for the tedious but crucial work of sealing every potential entry point. This is where most DIY efforts fail. People seal the obvious holes but miss the dozen tiny gaps that bats can squeeze through.

Use high-quality materials that will last. Steel wool stuffed into small gaps works temporarily but will rust and deteriorate. Instead, use copper mesh, hardware cloth, or professional-grade sealants. For larger openings, use wood, metal flashing, or cement board. Pay special attention to ridge vents – these can be protected with special ridge vent guards that allow ventilation but exclude bats.

One trick I've developed over the years is to use a smoke pencil or incense stick on a calm day to detect air currents that might indicate hidden openings. Where there's airflow, there's potentially a bat highway.

The Cleanup Challenge

After the bats are gone, you're faced with cleaning up their calling cards. Bat guano isn't just unsightly; it can be dangerous. Always wear protective equipment including an N95 respirator, gloves, and eye protection. The spores that cause histoplasmosis become airborne when guano is disturbed.

Dampen the guano with a water and bleach solution (10% bleach) before removal to minimize dust. Use a HEPA vacuum for final cleanup, and double-bag all waste. For extensive accumulations, consider hiring professionals – the health risks aren't worth saving a few hundred dollars.

Don't forget to check your insulation. Guano-contaminated insulation usually needs replacement, as the smell can attract new bats and the contamination poses ongoing health risks.

When Professional Help Makes Sense

I'm all for DIY solutions when appropriate, but bat removal often isn't one of those times. If you're dealing with a large colony, if the bats are in your living space rather than the attic, or if you're uncomfortable working on ladders and roofs, call in the pros.

Professional wildlife control operators have specialized equipment and experience. They also carry insurance for when things go wrong – and trust me, they sometimes do. I once saw a DIY exclusion attempt that channeled fleeing bats into the main house through a bathroom vent. The homeowner spent thousands more fixing that mistake than they would have spent on professional removal.

Alternative Solutions and Deterrents

While exclusion is the gold standard, some people try deterrents first. I'm skeptical of most of these, but some have limited effectiveness. Bright lights in roosting areas can discourage bats, as can strong fans that disrupt their echolocation. Ultrasonic devices are largely useless despite marketing claims – bats are perfectly comfortable with ultrasonic frequencies.

Some folks swear by mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags. These might provide temporary relief but won't solve the problem long-term and can be hazardous to humans and pets. I've seen people waste hundreds of dollars on these "solutions" when a proper exclusion would have cost about the same.

Living in Harmony: The Bat House Option

Here's where my philosophy might differ from other wildlife control folks: I believe in providing alternative housing for excluded bats. Installing a properly designed bat house on your property gives evicted bats somewhere else to go and maintains their beneficial presence in your ecosystem.

Bat houses work best when installed before exclusion begins, giving bats time to discover them. Mount them 12-15 feet high on a pole or building side that gets morning sun. Paint them dark colors in cooler climates, lighter in hot areas. Success rates vary, but when they work, you get the best of both worlds – no bats in your house, but plenty of mosquito control in your yard.

The Long Game: Prevention

The real secret to bat control is making your home less attractive to them in the first place. Regular maintenance is key. Inspect your roof annually, replace worn weatherstripping, and repair any damage promptly. Keep trees trimmed back from the roofline – bats often use overhanging branches as launch points to access roofs.

Consider your outdoor lighting too. Lights attract insects, which attract bats. Motion-sensor lights or yellow "bug lights" can reduce the insect smorgasbord that draws bats to your property.

Final Thoughts from the Attic

After all these years of dealing with bats, I've developed a grudging respect for them. They're survivors, adapting to human encroachment with remarkable ingenuity. Our homes have become their caves, our attics their nurseries. The challenge isn't to wage war on them but to firmly establish boundaries.

Getting rid of bats requires patience, attention to detail, and often a bit of humility. These creatures have been around for 50 million years – they're not going to be outsmarted by a hastily placed piece of screen or a ultrasonic gadget from the hardware store. But with the right approach, you can reclaim your home while these remarkable creatures find more appropriate accommodations.

Remember, the goal isn't to eliminate bats from your property entirely – it's to keep them out of your living space. When done correctly, bat exclusion is a permanent solution that respects both your needs and the important ecological role these animals play. Just don't expect it to be quick or easy. Like most worthwhile endeavors, it takes time, effort, and a willingness to understand the problem from all angles – even if that means hanging upside down to see things from a bat's perspective.

Authoritative Sources:

Bat Conservation International. Living with Bats: A Guide for Homeowners. Austin: Bat Conservation International Publications, 2019.

Fenton, M. Brock. Bats: A World of Science and Mystery. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014.

Kunz, Thomas H., and Stuart Parsons, eds. Ecological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009.

Tuttle, Merlin D. America's Neighborhood Bats: Understanding and Learning to Live in Harmony with Them. Rev. ed. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2005.

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Bats and Rabies." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2021. www.cdc.gov/rabies/animals/bats/index.html.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Bats and Pesticide Use." Environmental Protection Agency, 2020. www.epa.gov/pesticides/bats-and-pesticide-use.

Williams-Guillén, Kimberly, et al. "Bats in the Anthropocene: Conservation of Bats in a Changing World." Bats in the Anthropocene, edited by Christian C. Voigt and Tigga Kingston, Springer, 2016, pp. 151-186.