Bats
In the vein of talking about spooky creatures around Halloween, I’m going to talk about bats! Bats
usually creep us out. They can be a pest if they get into your attic. However, they are also good at
mosquito control, and mosquitoes are the real bloodsuckers that I don’t want to have. Let’s talk about
bats, how to keep them out of your attic, the services they provide, and how to build a bat nest.
In Georgia we have 16 different species of bats. The gray myotis and Indiana myotis are both
endangered. Several of the others are species of concern, due to low population. A single bat can eat
hundreds of mosquitoes in one hour. They will also eat moths and beetles that cause damage to crops
and trees. A couple of bat species have specific requirements for humidity and temperature. Those will
reside in caves. Otherwise, bats are opportunistic in finding lodging. These bats may roost in dead trees,
old barns, or in your attic.
Bats don’t cause problems in the house by gnawing or chewing. Their droppings do cause an odor. If you
have bats in your house, don’t use exclusion practices from April 1 st through July 31 st . This is the
maternity season for bats. If you put up a one-way door to keep them out during that time you will likely
trap flightless pups inside your house. Openings that bats have used for a long time will usually have
brown discoloration along the sides. There are a couple of different types of one-way doors that you can
use. The first one is a mesh covering. Secure the top and sides of the mesh, but leave the bottom open.
This way bats exiting will be able to squirm out through the bottom, but not be able to get back in. If you
have openings in tight spaces outside you can use pipe (PVC, flexible, caulk tube) that is 2 inches in
diameter and 10 inches long. Insert the pipe about a ¼ inch into the opening and secure it with caulking,
staple, nails, or screws. Bats will be able to exit through the pipes, but not fly back into them.
Sometimes it can be difficult to completely bat proof your home. Bats can enter through holes that are
as small as half an inch. If you are continuously going through the process of excluding bats and then
finding new ones, you may want to buy a bat box to house those bats outside your home. Or you may
want to buy a bat box so that you can have bats to eat the mosquitoes around your home. Bat boxes are
placed about 15-20 feet off the ground in a spot that gets lots of sunlight. Make sure that the box stays
wasp free, because they are a nuisance to bats. It can take a couple of years for bats to move into a bat
box. Also, use a bat box that is a dark color because it will absorb more sunlight and be warmer. Bats like
it to be 80-100 degrees inside the house. Bat boxes are fairly easy to build. http://free.woodworking-
plans.org/bat-house-plans.html has plans if you’d like to build one.
If you have questions about bats in your home contact your Count Extension Office or email me at
[email protected].