Bat Treatment
How Do I Identify A Bat Infestation?
Appearance - Bats vary in size depending on species, but tend to average about 5 to 20 cm in length (head to tail) with a wingspread of approximately 15 to 40 cm--depending on how old the bat is. Bats’ bodies are covered with hair varying in color from a light beige color to black. Their leathery wings stretch across skinny arms and finger bones.When roosting, bats will hang upside down.
Behavior - Most bats are insectivores, feeding on insects at night. Bats will frequent outside night lighting and pools where insects will be flying in warmer weather. Some bats prefer fruit, but those species of bats are not common in Local. Bats are known to hibernate in the winter.
Why Could I Have Bats?
Bats tend to enter homes for safety and warmth. You are more likely to find bat problems occurring in the colder weather when it is harder for them to find a warm, safe place to live and breed. On the other hand, many accidental bat entrances happen in the summer months when bats are active and flying around. One or two may get trapped in your house while in flight, requiring them to be freed from the home.
Bats are typically drawn to homes with awnings to sleep on, accessible chimneys, or places in which to hide. They also enjoy properties with water and trees which insects may hide. If you live near a water source, have a pool, or have a lot of trees or bushes on your property, then you may find bats taking up residence as well.
Why Should I Treat My Bat Problem Immediately?
While bats are helpful in reducing the insect population by feeding on them, bats are sometimes carriers of fleas and ticks. They can be infected with the rabies virus without showing any symptoms. Once inside, bats will relieve themselves in your home, and bat droppings and urine are a health risk for you and your family. Should you find bats in your house, we can provide bat control to get these creatures of the night out of your home and back outside where they belong.
How to Get Rid of Bats
No matter where you live, bats are likely a fact of life. You will likely see them swooping around at dusk. Having bats live near you is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, bats eat mosquitoes and other insects. That can make your yard a more enjoyable place. On the other hand, bats can spread diseases like rabies and histoplasmosis. Their guano is also a problem and can be dangerous in large piles.
How Do I Spot a Bat Problem?
The best way to spot a bat problem is to go out at dusk and look at the sky. If you see a lot of bats swooping around, they likely live somewhere nearby. While is it likely the bats live in a close cave or tree, it is equally as likely that they live in your home. Attics are a favorite of bats.
If you look carefully, you may even be able to spot the bats flying out from under your eaves. Other signs of a bat infestation include the following.
- Piles of bat guano in your attic.
If you have an attic or upper crawl space, you should check it regularly for piles of bat guano. Even if you don't see the bats, the guano doesn't leave. It will likely be piled in specific locations. These are usually where the bats enter your home or where they sleep. - A smell of ammonia.
Bat guano causes a strong ammonia smell. If you smell ammonia, especially if that smell is coming from your attic, you likely have a bat infestation. - Hearing scratching or squeaking.
Bat will move along the inside of your walls. This causes a scratching noise. You may also hear squeaking, which is the bat's vocalizations. - Bats get into your home.
Bats outside your home could come from anywhere. However, if an errant bat gets in your home, it is likely because that bat lives there.
How Do I Get Rid of Bats?
If you have bats in your home, it is important to remove them as soon as you can. Although bats do provide some benefits, you don't want generations of bats to get used to living in your attic. That can make it almost impossible to completely remove them. Instead, at the first sign of a bat infestation, take the following measures.
- Use a bat house.
Bat houses are a good ancillary measure for getting rid of bats. Bat houses can be picked up at any home improvement store. They provide a place for the bats to live once they are out of your house. - Seal any hole larger than a dime.
Bats can enter any hole the size of a dime or larger. That is extremely small. So, you must seal any cracks in the outside of your house. - Contact professional bat removal services.
The best way to ensure complete bat removal is to hire professionals. Some pest removal companies specialize in bat removal. These are the ones to contact. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you find the best bat extermination in your location. Contact us today.
How to Prevent Bats
Bats are not a good animal to have in your home. They are loud, messy, and can spread disease. If bats are getting your house, it is likely that they have been nesting there for a while. You just normally do not see them because they make their way outside. Bats who live outdoors don't accidentally come in houses. Only bats that currently live there make that mistake.
Having your attic host a large group of bats is a big problem. It takes time and effort to get them out. The best thing is prevent them from setting up shop. Here's a few ways to do that.
Why Do I Have Bats?
To understand how to prevent bats, you also need to know why they are there in the first place. The biggest reason bats may be in your home is food. It is likely that there is abundant food in the area for them to eat. Bats prefer mosquitoes and insects. They can actually be very good at removing other pests, you just don't want them in your home.
Another reason why you may have bats is that you have an attic in your house. Bats love to live in attics. They are dark, dry, unbothered areas of the house. Attics provide a similar environment to the caves and trees bats normally live in.
Bats also need water. If your home has easy water sources around it, then bats may want to live in the area. Water sources could be a bird bath, creek, pool, or other standing water.
How Do I Prevent Bats?
Bats can spread disease to humans. Their guano is also dangerous to have around in large amounts. Guano can be extremely messy to clean up as well. In order to save yourself a lot of time and trouble, you should work to prevent bats. Below we've listed the top ways that you can keep bats out of your house.
- Fix any crack in your siding or roof.
Bats live in your home because they have found a way in. If you can prevent bats from getting in, then you are much less likely to have a bat problem. - Try a bat house.
Bat houses are little wooden boxes that you set up in your yard. These houses are supposed to attract bats, which will keep them out of your attic. Bat houses only work if you prevent the bats from continuing to live in your home. - Install bright lights.
Bats prefer to hunt during dust. They use sonar to catch their prey, not sight. They do not like bright lights and will stay away from them. Installing bright lights may be a good way to keep the bats out. - Contact a good bat removal service.
Not all pest control companies can help with a bat problem. You need to find bat removal specialists that can get the bats out of your house for good. Don't worry about spending hours searching, however. At GoLocal Pest Control, we have you covered. Let us help you find the top bat exterminator in your area.
What Do Bats Look Like?
Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Other mammals can jump long distances—the flying squirrel comes to mind. But only the bat can have sustained flight. Bats are also great eaters of mosquitoes. There is a lot about bats to like. The problem comes when bats decide to live in your home.
You don't want a bat problem. They can be hard to remove from your attic. They are also messy, noisy, and can spread disease. Their guano is dangerous and highly flammable. That's not even to mention that when they live in your attic they can get confused and come into your house instead of going outside. No one wants a bat in their house.
Being able to identify bats will tell you if any live in your neighborhood. This can help you gauge whether bats are likely to be a pest problem for you or not.
How Many Species of Bats Are There?
Bats have been around in their current form for at least fifty million years. They are not rodents, as many people believe. They are most closely related to moles and shrews. It is likely that all three—moles, shrews, and bats—evolved from a common ancestor.
Because they are such an old species, there are many species of bats all over the world. Over 1,400 species to be exact. Most of these species live in Central and South America. They seem to prefer tropical environments. It is estimated that a third of all bat species live in these areas. Indonesia alone hosts 175 species of bats.
Even though many bat species prefer the tropics, that doesn't stop them from living throughout the world. In the United States, there are 47 bat species. Seventeen of these forty-seven species live in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. The bats most common throughout the U.S. include the big brown bat, little brown myotis, Mexican free-tailed bat, Eastern red bat, Canyon bat, Hoary bat, California myotis, and Seminole bat.
What Do Bats Look Like?
Most people see bats when they are flying. So, the first thing you will likely notice about a bat's appearance is its wings. These grow out of its limbs. The wings do not have hair, instead, they are covered in leather-like skin. A bat's body is thin and covered in fur. They have large ears, a short snout. They may look like a rodent with wings, but they are actually not at all related to the group of mammals.
The biggest differences between bat species are their color and size. Some are four inches or less in length, while others can be five or six inches long. The U.S. is not home to the largest bat species. They are usually red, black, brown, or gray.
If you think bats are living in your home, you need them removed as soon as possible. Make sure to call bat removal specialists. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you find the best exterminators in your area. Contact us today.
How to Find an Exterminator to Help with Bats
Bats add some benefits to the environment. They are big eaters of mosquitoes. You probably do not want to kill all the bats in the area. However, you do not want bats in your attic. They spread disease and can cause a lot of damage.
A good bat exterminator will help you remove any bats that may live in your home. Many companies will also give you ideas for attracting bats to locations outside your home. This ensures the bats do not return to your home. But, first, you need to find a good exterminator.
What Should I Look for in a Bat Exterminator?
Not all general exterminators will work with bats. You may need to look for a company that specializes in bat removal. However, the time it takes to find them is well worth it. There are many laws in place that govern how and when bats can be removed from homes. You need an exterminator that is familiar with these rules and regulations.
A good way to determine if a pest control company is right for your bat problem is to ask them the following questions.
- When was the last time your company handled a bat problem?
- What are the rules in my area about bat removal?
- Will you seal the entrances to my home, or will I have to hire a contractor?
- What is the chance that the bats will return?
- Do you offer warranties or guarantees for your service?
What Should I Expect from Bat Exterminators?
Once you have found a good bat exterminator, it is time to think about the bat removal process. Here is a general outline of the process so that you know what to expect when the day arrives.
The good news about bat removal is that the visit will begin like every other type of pest extermination. The technician will first conduct an inspection. They will attempt to find where the bats are entering and exiting your home as well as the number of bats living in your attic. They will also provide you with a quote for their recommended bat treatment.
Once you have agreed with the exterminator, it is time to schedule treatment. Most bat removal uses the exclusion technique. In most places, this is the only way to legally remove bats from your home. Exclusion involves sealing all entrances and exits from your home except one exit. The exit is fitted with a one-way door. This allows the bats to exit but not reenter your home. After a day or two, the bats should be completely out of your home.
How Do I Find an Exterminator to Help with Bats?
The best exterminators for bats will be local. They will give you personal service that takes your entire situation into account. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you find the bat removal company of your dreams. Just try our location finder, and you will have many options to choose from.