Bat Control in Northwest Ohio

There seems to be a lot of bat “experts” around these days. Despite many of their good intentions to protect bats, a bat in most households is unacceptable. It also doesn’t help when most health departments recommend mandatory rabies testing of the bat or obligatory vaccinations for the whole family. While most bats do not have rabies, it is nearly always fatal when detected after symptoms appear. Nearly all bats found in Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana homes are little and big brown bats. Manmade structures naturally attract these species. Most infestations are small (3 to 10 bats), but some are quite large (100 to 150).

The Solution to Bat Control

The prudent approach to bat elimination is exclusion. Simple devices that allow bats to exit an opening but not reenter are highly effective. The challenge, however, is to bat proof the entire structure so they cannot reenter another opening. Bats can squeeze into cracks as small as ¼ inch wide. They also possess a strong homing instinct to stay in the place they were born. With that knowledge, releasing bats outside that are captured in the home is humane to the bat but poor advice if you do not bat-proof the structure first. Upon completing any exclusion effort, bat droppings inside attics should be removed to aid with detection. If bats reenter, there will be new droppings. Heavier accumulations of droppings in attics should be removed carefully to eliminate the hazard of histoplasmosis. Just remember breathing the dust during the removal process could be the most hazardous exposure of all. If parasites like bat bugs are also present, you want to apply insecticides to prevent them from moving into the living area.

For professional advice to eliminate your bat problem, give us a call or message us online at Buckeye Exterminating!