Bats are wonderful flying machines that can eat 1/4 to 1/3 their weight in mosquitoes each night. However,”bats in the belfry” (attic or eaves) can make enough noise, produce such stinky smells, or be such a health hazard that we don’t want them around. These graceful flyers comprise 1/4 of all mammals on earth. Bats either live in large colonies or as solitary animals in Virginia.

 

Virginia’s most common bat is the little brown bat, which lives in colonies of several dozen up to several thousands. They live in attics, roof spaces, outbuildings, hollow trees, beneath bridges and in caves. These small bats are a rich, glossy, sleek, dark brown color. From May until September they are superb predators of numerous insects, many of which are pests to humans, pets, or farm crops and gardens.

 

The big brown bat also prefers attics, caves, tree cavities, etc. It is not as numerous as its smaller cousin. However, it is the bat most often encountered by humans. It often hibernates in buildings. During warm periods of late fall or early spring the big brown bat becomes active. It may fall down a chimney or find openings into our human living space. For many people this is a scary time as they try to kill the intruding bat or evict it with brooms and newspapers. Bats on ceilings or walls can be caught with fish nets, cardboard boxes, or on glueboards and released outside. Another option is to open windows and outside doors, which will cause the bat to seek refuge outside the house. At nighttime lights can be turned “off” inside and “on” outside to encourage the bat to fly outside.

 

National Exterminators specializes in the exclusion method of bat control and has agreed to abide by the commitment of professional exclusion developed by Bat Conservation International.