How to Remove Bats From Attics

Bats eat millions of insects each night across the United States. The most common North American species, the Big Brown Bat, eats between 600 and 1000 mosquitoes an hour. Despite the reputation perpetuated by the movies, only a few species found in Central America drink blood and only one half of one percent of all bats carry rabies. Nevertheless, people find bats unpleasant and are uncomfortable sharing their homes with them. If you discover a colony of bats moving into your attic, follow the directions below to safely remove them.

Things You'll Need

  • Bat house
  • Wire mesh
  • Duct tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Begin in Mid-August. Gather your friends and family and stand outside your house at sunset. Watch for exit points. Keep watching for at least an hour and make note of any small openings. Remember, bats can squeeze through a hole the size of your thumb and actually prefer entry points of about ½-inch, knowing most predators cannot follow them.

    • 2

      Mount a bat house close to the main exit. Bat houses can be purchased online or you can download free plans to build your own at the Organization for Bat Conservation homepage (see resources for link).

    • 3

      After the bat house is in place, wait one week to allow the bats to get used to their new home. Then, in the middle of the day, cover all the openings into your attic with square pieces of screen mesh. Secure three sides of the square with duct tape, leaving one side free. This creates a flap that will allow the bats to exit, but not to re-enter. Seeking a place to roost, but being shut out of their "home" they will move to the most convenient location that suits their needs, the bat house.

    • 4

      One week after the screens have been installed, seal the holes up permanently.