Bat Control

Backwoods Wildlife Control
Bat Removal & Exclusion

Backwoods Wildlife Control highly respect bats and all they do for the environment, we understand that bats and humans are not meant to cohabit the same building or home. Bats do eat 1000′s of mosquitoes each night, but in your home they bring the risk of rabies, Histoplasmosis, Property Damage, and Bat Mites (often mistaken for bed bugs). In a commercial setting, you can add liability, loss of customers, and depreciation,

We remove live bats from houses and commercial buildings. We do not harm the bats – we perform an “exclusion” followed by a “bat proofing”. When needed we also perform Histoplasmosis remediation and guano clean up.

The types of damage bats can do to a building are basically three:

Spread of Disease. Bats, like other animals, can carry rabies. And although bats rarely bite humans, the risk of bat bites frightens us away from areas inhabited by bats. Along with the risk of rabies, bat dung carries the spores for Histoplasmosis, a disease mainly affecting the lungs of people, especially those with immunity disorders, the elderly, and the very young.
Introduction of Bat Mites. Bat mites, often mistaken for bed bugs, will often make humans their new hosts. Insect exterminators, sometimes mistaking these for bed bugs, will treat a building, only to be called back time and again because the bugs were killed, but with the presence of bats, new ones took their place and the infestation began anew.
Structural Damage. As we noted above, bats do not chew on buildings. However, their dung and urine will accumulate over time, resulting in waste dripping through ceilings, ruining insulation, and soaking through sheet rock or particle board, eventually causing the interior of the structure to collapse.

The three hazards add up to one thing: property devaluation. Tenants will quickly move out of a building just knowing there are bugs, bats, or the odor of the bat urine and guano. Buyers will be unlikely to take a second look at a building stained with bat excreta, knowing that it is expensive and time-consuming to remove the bats and their droppings, as well as repair the damage done.

The damage caused by bats can be horrendous. But to allow the bats to continue to devalue the property is probably the worst decision an owner can make. He should take action as soon as bats are suspected, thus alleviating the problem and keeping the cost of remediation minimal.

There are only a few ways to deal with bats and the problems they cause:

Ignore the problem hoping it will go away. We’ve already pointed out that is the worst choice because bats will not go away. Instead, they will proliferate and cause more damage over the years.

Try to handle the bats yourself. We highly recommend that you avoid this. If you must, please keep the following in mind: Bats are legally protected. Killing them can result in large fines. As many as two percent of bats carry rabies. Bats mouths and teeth are very small, and a bite mark may not be detected. Any contact with bats should be treated as a possible exposure to rabies. (Rabies shots can cost up to $3500 per person depending on the state). Bats are persistent, driven by instinct. If you exclude them effectively, they will try to find their way back in over the next several nights – please be aware of windows that are not properly screened. Even a professional exclusion, performed by a technician with years of experience, can result in bats ending up inside the building or house. Also, remember some bats do migrate – other species hibernate in their nest. Sealing up your house in late fall after you think they’ve migrated should only be done if the species has been confidently identified. Otherwise, you and the bats will have a surprise next spring.

Large accumulations of guano sometimes breeds a fungus called Histoplasmosis. This fungus can infect an eye or a lung, and in a serious case, you can lose your eye or lung to this infection. Here are some facts to keep in mind if you’ve had bats removed from your home or building:

Scattered droppings are not dangerous. They can be swept or vacuumed up.
Piles of guano more than an inch deep could contain Histoplasmosis.
Histoplasmosis spores become air born when/if the piles are disturbed

If the accumulated guano is isolated in a wall, ceiling or seldom used attic – you may be fine leaving it alone. Over time, the guano will dry out, and the fungus will die – provided the bats do not return to keep adding moisture/new droppings and urine to the pile.

When guano should be removed

There are several situations that call for guano clean up, or Histoplasmosis remediation. They include:

Guano is located somewhere that people may disturb it.
Remodel is planned in the area where guano is located.
An odor persists after the bats have been excluded.
People in the home or building are having respiratory problems.
Commercial properties where liability is a concern.

What is involved?

Our technicians are trained to remove guano while minimizing the chances of spreading Histoplasmosis spores into the building. To protect the crew, we wear disposable clothing, eye protection and respirators with filters measuring one micron. The guano is double bagged and taken to an appropriate disposal facility. Finally fungicide is sprayed over the contaminated area to kill any lingering spores.

Guano removal is always best done after the bats are gone. Usually, we cannot even assess the situation or provide an estimate until the bats have left. Additionally, it is safer, and thus less expensive if the guano removal can be scheduled during the colder months of the year.

Our technicians focus on remediation. Unless other specific arrangements are made, we will remove all guano that is deep enough to cause a concern. Scattered droppings may still remain.

Finally, please note that guano clean up is an area commonly covered by home owner’s insurance policies. Please call your agent to see if you are covered.