Bat Colonies
Bats Rarely Travel Alone
Bats colonize to increase the ability to reproduce, as well as feed and raise the young bats that are the result of colony breeding. It's much easier to grow in numbers the larger the colony is, so when you have only a few bats in an attic, and they are left alone to breed there and establish, a colony, it will begine to grow at an alarming rate.
Bat Removal For Colonies
Removing a single bat is usually done with a metal cage trap, by hand, with a special net, or with exclusion. When you have an entire colony of bats, exclusion is almost the only way to go. For one single bat, most of our techs prefer to use exclusion over a trap because a trap must be checked every day to ensure that the bat hasn't died inside the trap. There is no way of telling if the bat is starving or is carrying a disease before you trap it, so exclusion is the best way to ensure that you don't unknowingly kill a bat. Killing a bat is still a punshiable offense in the United States.
Why Trapping is Less Effective
Trapping is less effective than exclusion of a bat colony because you must release every bat that you trap. It is unlawful to harass or trap bats with the intention of confinement or extermination, by law. The Endangered Species Act makes sure that these creatures are protected from humans and cruel treatment of any kind.
Aside from the legal aspect of trapping bats, it is also very difficult to trap bats without ensuring that they will try to re-enter the space, and it is almost guaranteed to happen again if you don't properly seal up the affected area. Some homeowners build large cage traps, or purchase cage traps meant for other creatures with the hope that they will solve their bat problem once and for all. I'm sorry to say that this will not work in the long run, and that you'll most likely end up calling a professional service or trying one of the methods listed on this Web site.
How Exclusion Works
Exclusion operates on the idea that your goal in this operation is to prevent bats from entering the space, but still allow them to leave. This is similar to the way one-way mirrors allow law enforcement to observe interrogations and suspect line-ups without the opposing parties being able to see their faces.
A proper live exclusion of bats will require a lot of work, and meticulous preparation. Bat inspections normally take some time for technicians as they observe the behavior of the bats, including their feeding times, nesting habits, and waste production.
Once an inspection is complete, the exclusion process can begin, usually by sealing the smallest entrances to your home or attic first. Once this is done, special exclusion devices will be installed to allow for the one-way functionality discussed earlier. Bat funnels and bat doors are common types of exclusion devices. They can be made fairly simply and the material cost is affordable.
After You Remove a Bat Colony
Bat colonies generate mountains of urine and bat poop. This harmful, odorous waste is not only hazardous to your health, but contaminates the parts of your attic that are the most important: your ceiling and insulation. If they are contaminated enough, they will need to be replaced. Most widlife removal services provide some type of sanitation and repair service like our technicians, and they can give you a professional recommendation on whether or not you need to replace any of these components of your home in order to protect your health.