I have two families of bats in the rafters of my porch in Ellijay.
by
Harris G
+9
I want them to keep eating the insect, but don't want the bat poop on my porch. Is there a good way to discourage their returning to the rafters when they return from hibernation in the Spring. I plan to build a bathouse on a nearby tree, but what can I do to keep them from returning to the rafters?
The picture isn't too clear, but there are the bats in the rafters.
12 answers
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Harris, I would suggest you call an exterminator. Bats stink and in not time you will have a stinky porch as well. Get rid of them as soon as possible.
Yamini LEED AP at Urbanmotifs
on Sep 25, 2011
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If they are both adults and can fly, squirt a bit of water on them to make them go away while you staple some wire mesh over their perch.
Walter Reeves
on Sep 25, 2011
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Hi Harris, Walter has a good idea, the vents on your roof all need to be covered with wire mesh. The best to use is a chicken wire mesh. It has larger openings than screen type, but is stronger and will last for many years.
Hudson Designs
on Sep 25, 2011
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Don't wait for spring. After they have young'uns, there is nothing you can do to stop them from getting back in to take care of family! Build the bat box or maybe 2-3 of them so they have choices. Put fruit up in them Wait for them to leave in the evening to start feeding Then get busy and fill the area they were inhabiting with some moth balls, and cover the entry places with hardware clothe before they come home. This way you do not have to drive them out. They left voluntarily when they went out to dine for the evening. When they stagger home from the party, they can't get in and don't care for the smell, so they assume they have found the wrong home and swoop off ion search of other place to sleep it off. The smell of the fruit attracts them to the batbox and they make themselves to home in a few days
Nichter's Home Services Corp
on Sep 25, 2011
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I definitely do not want to kill them. When they go off to Boca for the Winter I can clean the place out, and do the mothball and wire mesh deal. They have nested at the dark point of a "vee" in open rafters on the porch, so closing them all off wouldn't work. I will try the fruit in the bat boxes too.
Harris G
on Sep 25, 2011
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I think Nichter's hit the nail on the head...Moth Balls and fruit bait! Good Luck! JL
JL Spring & Associates
on Sep 25, 2011
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The fruit may work less by being any sort of a food for bats and more by attracting the insects they eat to the decaying fruit.
Nichter's Home Services Corp
on Sep 26, 2011
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put in bat houses nearby...they are great to have around...just lure them from the porch.
Jan
on Sep 26, 2011
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When they leave at night, close up the section so that when they return at sunrise (or earlier) they cannot gain access. They will take over and can carry rabies. Be careful. Call someone who knows and has been successful in get to right of them.
Linda Vellucci
on Jul 11, 2014
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Moth balls are very bad to inhale. Contain napthalen.
Linda Vellucci
on Jul 11, 2014
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We have had a bat house 15' up on the side of our house for 10 years. It has been in constant use. However, now the bats have expanded into three gable vents. I don't know why we didn't predict that would happen. We should have put hardware cloth (not chicken wire; bats can get through chicken wire) on the inside of the vents early on. However, bat guano is great fertilizer. If you can collect it, mix it with compost to top dress your plants.
Katie Price
on Aug 02, 2014
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Be so VERY careful that they don't even touch you! Bats carry rabies and if one scatches you be sure to catch it for testing. If you don't you will have to have the whole series of rabies shots because it can lay dormant in your system for up to a year and once it develops there is NO cure....only sure death. Not a joke! KEEP BATS AWAY FROM YOUR HOME
Cassie Hames
on Sep 20, 2014
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