Bats are essential contributors to the ecosystem, consuming hundreds of bugs every hour. While you may only rarely see them because they blend in with the night, you might be encountering them more often than you realize if they are sharing a home with you. If you think you might have a bat infestation, it is important that you promptly contact a professional for bat removal.
Bats carry diseases, such as rabies, and so it is best to let experts handle their removal. Certain species of bats are endangered, and so harming them could be a violation of federal protections. Additionally, bats can be hardy and persistent invaders; without the proper knowledge of how to get rid of them, your success likely will not last long.
Here are some of the most common signs that you have a bat infestation in your home so you can call a pest control professional before they become further entrenched.
You See Bats
The most obvious sign that you have a bat problem is if you directly see bats entering and exiting your home. Bats are common at night, so seeing more than one during the evening is not necessarily a cause for concern if they are just flying in your neighborhood. However, no bat should be finding any sort of safe resting place on or in your home. If they are, it is time to act quickly, before they set up a more permanent presence.
You See Droppings
Because bats are always on the go, eating and hunting, they have a fast metabolism. This might keep them going for hours on end, but it also leads to significant waste production. Bats may defecate up to 30 times per day, and humans can recognize their droppings (called guano) if they know what to look for.
Droppings can look like small, brown or black grains of rice, with slight variations depending on which species of bat you are dealing with. Do not touch droppings; disturbing them can cause a respiratory illness called histoplasmosis. Droppings accumulate quickly and require a specialized cleanup process, so call for help as soon as you see them, before they damage your home and impact your health.
Unexplained Streaks Appear Outside Your Home
A batās fur is full of oils to keep them warm and dry, as well as to leave their scent for others to identify. If bats are going in and out of your home without your knowledge, you might find greasy streaks at their transit point(s) as they squeeze through repeatedly. Dirty streaks could be a sign that bats are entering.
Your Ceiling Develops Stains
Bats roost in attics and crawl spaces where they can remain undisturbed. As they gradually produce moist waste, such as urine and fresh guano, the moisture can seep into your homeās features. This, in turn, may lead to gradually developing stains on your ceiling.
It is important to investigate these marks quickly; while they may arise from a different cause, such as water damage, any problem that causes staining should be fixed as soon as possible. This is particularly true if the stains are caused by pests, which tend to multiply and worsen the problem exponentially.
You Notice an Unusual Smell
Bat guano and urine have a pungent odor, especially as moisture and waste accumulate over time. People describe the smell in two main ways: either as a sickly-sweet, decaying odor or as an ammonia-like scent that is reminiscent of a dirty cat litterbox. If you smell something like this, contact a pest control professional right away to investigate.
You Hear Sounds
Many people believe that bats make a high-pitched noise that is beyond the range of human hearing, but that is not true. Humans can hear bats, though their echolocation might sound faint or more like a chirp than a screech. Hearing bat vocalizations, especially during the day when they are not flying around outside, is an important indicator that they may be roosting in your home.
Similarly, bats might make noise as they move about your space. Thudding, scrabbling, or a slapping sound from their wings can indicate that bats have taken up residence somewhere in your house. You should call a professional to investigate; other pests, such as mice and rats, may also cause these issues.
Get Help With a Bat Infestation Before It Worsens
Do you suspect that your home has welcomed some unwanted tenants? Would you like to investigate your attic preemptively to identify potential entry points and put a stop to their intrusion before it begins? The professionals at Spartan Animal & Pest Control can help you take charge of your homeās defense, either before or during an invasion.
From blocking entry points to reducing the appeal of your property for pests, our team will help you keep your home clean and visitor-free. Contact Spartan to schedule a visit!
