Recently, I noticed droppings on my outdoor patio table. The exterminator said it was bat droppings from a bat that stays in my outdoor umbrella. How do I get rid of the bat? I can't use my deck otherwise. I've never had any bat problems for the last 18 years.
By Wanda from Whitehouse Station, NJ
Bats are great to have around for insect control. If I were you, I'd let the bat stay. If you don't want it living under your umbrella, take the umbrella down when the bat is NOT roosting. Put it away for a few days. Place a bat box (www.watershedactivities.com/
Bats are a blessing. If that little one leaves, you will not enjoy your patio with all the biting bugs. You might hang a bat house about 15 foot up, facing south. See if critter would like it better than your umbrella. They harm nothing. One bat eats more bugs than any zapper kills, very quietly. In summer when doors and windows are open in the night, i have one that visits me and my dogs in the bedroom every night.
I don't want to advise you to fork over for an exterminator, since the cost is prohibitive. You might instead try your local wildlife office. I located ours by calling our local City Hall. If you have an Information and Referral service in your area (we have 211 I&R,) you can also ask them. Please be specific that you want the wildlife office.
As someone who works in zoology, I want to set some bat myths strait. Bats don't mind light in fact they will fly at light simply to eat the bugs that swarm there. If you think it may bite you or get you sick. Most bats wont ever get close enough to a human to do either. And if they do get close there merely eating Mosquitoes and other insects that were about to land on you.
As long as the bat is outside there's no property damage and a lot of people now a days are building bat boxes to attract bats to there house for the beneficial aspects. Insect eating bats devour millions of insects a year. from mosquitoes and moths. To Crickets and spiders! And well spiders may be a lot more of a risk. Even Bees and Wasps may get eaten Fruit eaters pollinate flowers and disperse the seeds. Most eucalyptus trees exist from a bat.
Having bats outside may also be keeping bugs from getting inside. why spend money and energy getting rid of a bat only to spend more tie and energy spraying for beetles and bees and other things. If you want the bat out of the mbrells put some bat boxes far enough from your home like 300 meters or the edge of your property and you'll get he benefits of less insects, While still never needing to see the bat or his droppings again.
Or just get rid of his home the umbrella. Hopefully hell get the point and find somewhere else. If you want him gone for good with no chance of come backs you can call a wildlife trapper who will gradually relocate him to somewhere else. Do not try to remove him yourself.
I am terrified of bats so much so that I would probably have a heart attack if one flew close to me. I live right in front of a wooded area and so far I have not seen any bats in my back yard, but the building next door has a huge and really bright spot light on all night. We can actually see the bats flying towards the light to eat bugs. I can not swim in my pool, sit out back after dark or go out anywhere at night because Im so scared that the bats will come in my yard.
I thought bats hate lights? Are they attracted to the water in my pool? And will light from my Tiki torches keep them away? What can I do to keep them from flying into my yard? Please help me so I can go back out at night without having a heart attack or nervous breakdown.Every morning my white garden chairs and all the pathways are covered with bat droppings. I appreciate they eat mosquitoes, but this is too high a price to pay! It takes hours to clean and the next morning its disgusting again.
By Judy
You're right that bats are beneficial - contact your local cooperative extension office for excellent, area specific advice on relocating a bat colony.
Be advised bats are protected in nearly every US state, and country world-wide because they are so beneficial (they rank right up there with honeybees on the protection priority list) so you will need to follow qualified expert guidelines.
You can pay (hideously expensive) a professional to move the bats on, the extension agent will be able to point you in the right direction. I have heard of some universities relocating the colony free of charge so that they can study the colony, again, the agent will be able to advise if this is available in your area.
As beneficial as bats are, because you are seeing bat guano every morning it is rather important that you A-move this messy colony on ASAP because B-bats do carry rabies and finding guano all over your patio furniture - a place you and your family presumably frequent - indicates a flight pattern that brings the bats too close to you and yours.
Instead of killing beneficial creatures, consider covering up your chairs.
If you can find their 'nesting' holes at night, when they are out plug those holes. You don't want to seal them in, just keep them out. Best to consult an expert though.
I have a bat living in the 2nd floor bathroom exhaust vent over the tub that goes from the shower vent to the outside wall, 5ft. A bat bit through the plastic cover for the vent on the outside wall and is living in the tube. How do I get him out? I looked in the attic and saw no more bats, although I did not get very close.
If I make noise outside the vent on the ground during the day he will pop his his head out and look at me. I need to paint that side of the house and he seems to be very happy there. I've waited til dusk and he will appear. It seems to be very protective of his area.By ae
Surely someone in your area is responsible for removing wild animals from homes and yards. Give these people a call. Sometimes the city has someone hired; sometimes it is the SPCA.
My dad built several bat houses and he loved to sit on the deck in the evenings and watch them swarm out by the thousands! Here's the problem. He built them only about 15-20 feet from the house and right over the deep well. They both suddenly fell seriously ill and my dad died. It may or may not have had anything to do with the bats, but no one wants to be around the property and especially drink the water. And the backyard stinks! How can we get rid of the bats or is there anyway to move the houses?
By Michelle
You can't move the bats, they already are used to having a home close by yours. You could call someone to come and get them but there is no way you could do it alone.
We have a huge garage, the bats just keep comming out of a certain part of it at night, it seems nonstop. We can't use that part of the garage because of them. I know all the benifits of having them around, and I totally agree. They come out of multiple cracks, I really don't want them harmed, just living in the nearby woods with lots of trees with woodpecker holes, nearby wet area. Any suggestions? Thanks.
By Pam Lalonde
Rural? If it won't disturb your neighbors, play a loud radio in the most affected area 24 hours a day for as long as it takes but not when they have young. Few days to better than a week.
If bats get into your home, they can be quite a nuisance and possibly be difficult to get rid of. This is a page about keeping bats out of my house.
Bats can be a nuisance to have in or close you your home. This is a page about bat living above our front door.
Although bats are very beneficial in helping to keep the insect population in control, having them move into your attic is not a good thing. This is a page about getting rid of bats in the attic.
