Bats are scary little creatures that enter residences often during their lifespan. But the question is, how do bats get in the house? Let’s find out below!
What Are Bats?
Bats are mammals having the scientific name, ‘Chiroptera,’ which means “hand wing” in greek. More than 1,400 species of bats are dwelling around the world except for extreme deserts and polar regions. There are mainly two varieties of them, namely – microbats and megabats.
Microbats are those that eat insects, but there is one exception i.e., vampire bats that feed on the blood of cattle and horses. However, they don’t feed on human blood. Megabats eat bark, seed, leaves, ripe fruit, pollen, and nectar. There are more than 300 fruit species who rely on bats for their pollination.
How Do Bats Get in the House?
Bats only need a hole as small as 3/8-inch to get into your home. They can invade through damaged roofing, vents, chimneys, gaps in framing, open windows, under the fascia or soffit. After finding their way into your house, bats frequently search the attic for roosting. Before using any bats prevention techniques, it’s vital to confirm that no bats are lurking inside your home. You can do this after noticing some signs that are described below.
Signs of Bat in House
After noticing the below signs, you can quickly identify a bat problem in your house.
- A constant sound of rustling in the attic.
- If you encounter bats droppings (excrement) anywhere in your house, this means they are roosting in the attic or cellar. The excrement is round in shape and gives a strong foul odor.
- Presence of dead bats inside or outside of the house.
- Strange pungent smell from the attic.
- Bats wandering around your property.
- You may notice urine deposits on the wall or the floors.
Bats Prevention Techniques
There is a famous saying, “Prevention is better than cure,” so try the below tips to prevent the bats’ infestation.
- Identify and repair cracks, holes, crevice, or any other openings of the roof peaks, dormer vents, and eaves.
- Seal all the exterior loose trim boards of the house with a sealant.
- Fix the holes and cracks of the tile roofs, either with a sealant or netting to prevent bats infestation.
- Patch any type of unwanted entry and exit points of your house.
- Make sure that no vents are open.
- Install chimney cap and wire mesh on the chimney.
- Always use screens on windows and doors.
After reading the above article, you’ll get to learn everything about bats and some prevention tips to inhibit their infestation. If you are facing a severe bats infestation, then it’s wise to call a pest control service instead of trying to get rid of them on your own. Besides, you can try vinegar to get rid of the pesky house flies.