Bat in the attic?

[UNIT]

I have heard a scratching on the attic the last couple mornings. It seems to be coming from the other side of the drywall under the insulation in the attic. Called the pest control group that comes to take care of other little problems and without going into the attic they said that they were pretty sure it was a bat that has been moving around due to the increased temperatures. It seemed like a logical explanation but wanted to know if anyone else has dealt with this and what you did to get rid of the problem. The obvious would be to climb into the attic and try to locate the culprit and maybe that is what I will do.

Thanks

UNIT

[BobT]

I wouldn't worry about it for now. If it is a bat, wait until summer, locate all possible opening where it might be getting in and out, and seal them about an hour after dark so they can't get back in. It could also be mice.

[Bear55]

This just happened to me a few days ago, I thought it could have been a mouse but a bat makes sense now. I thought about poking around up the attic but in the newer homes there is a ton of insulation up there so its like looking for a needle in a haystack. I think I will take BobT's advice and wait until summer.

[zent]

Same thing going on here. Last Saturday morning we had one hanging from the ceiling in our bedroom. Things were a little touch and go until we managed to get it outside. I was then promply informed by my wife that she didn't care what it costs, just get rid of them.

The pest control guy came out,inspected and said they have to wait until spring to seal up any areas that they could be getting in from and then install one way devices so they can fly out, but can't come back in.

He also said if you have one that went for a walk and got in the house when it warmed up you can be pretty sure you have a colony of them in the attic.

Good luck,

Z

[BobT]

We were infested with them in our attic when I first bought our home. As I began the remodeling process it became very apparent. I'll never forget one time when I woke up to a breeze across my face. I thought I had closed the windows because rain was forecast so I was looking at the window to see if I had left one open and saw a bat fly across my view. I tried to catch it so I could release it but it must have returned from whence it came.

I did some research and learned that they are really not that big a problem. The rarely do any damage to the attic except if there are too many their droppings can pile up a bit. What I also learned was that they actually don't like being in an attic. There's too much daytime activity to suit them but for lack of better accommodations they are there.

The information I read indicated that the easiest way to keep them out of your attic was to provide a better location. Building a bat house if you live in a rural area is supposed to be a great way to encourage them to leave the attic and take up new residence. Because their diet consists of primarily mosquitoes they can be a good animal to have around.

I also learned that they are actually one of the most docile animals around. Rarely are they harmful. When they are found inside your home they can be quite scary but the best thing to do is open a door or window, stand against a wall, and let them have the room they need to fly. They can't fly very well inside a building because the air is too still and that's why they dart and weave the way they do. They are trying to gain aerodynamics. Once they see the open door or window they will usually fly out.

I got to test this theory once. I was watching television in my living room when I noticed a bat in the room. I opened the screen on the window and sat down in the chair. The bat made three revolutions around the room and right out the window it went.

[RainyEye]

Hope it's not a red squirrel!

[Bear55]

BobT

I was just going to suggest the bat house. I planned on building one this spring/summer even before we herd the scratching in the attic. From what I understand you want to build a large flat box with and opening from the bottom that has several narrow verticle slots for the bats to crawl into. Then mount it about 20 feet up in a tree or on a pole or building.

[BobT]

Sounds about right. I don't have one but I was researching them as a possibility for our place. I found some information on line that provides material lists and drawings. Didn't save the links so if I was going to build one I'd have to search them again.

[jeffreyd]

Had rats in the attic at the fire station. while under remodel, the battalion chief was forced to bunk with the ff. he was deathly afraid of mice and rats. laying there dead asleep he was awoken by a large mouse/rat doing laps under his covers. i never heard the end of it. he refused to sleep in the main bunk room until the exterminators had made sure all were dead. come to find out the bunk room backed up to the locker room. FF were keeping protein powder and power bars in their lockers and would find the corner eatten off and blaming it on each other. It was the mice, they chewed thru a plastic jug of protein powder. the must have been huge.

[Tom7227]

If you do the google on bat houses you get a link to a bat conservation group and their site has directions. I made one a number of years ago based on directions in the book put out by the extension service or something. It basically is the same as a wood duck house except you don't put in any holes and you put boards full length with a 1/2 inch space between them, leave the bottom open and paint it black.

[Mnfisher]

They can be unnerving! We had some in our cabin. Took a few nights to get rid of them. Found entry holes, plugged them all up except one, then let them fly out and plugged up the final hole. It worked. You need to sit outside and watch for them at dusk to see where they are coming out. I did a lot of cauling. It worked though. I wouldn't do anything until later spring though! Lots of good sources online and I know a good exterminator also. Good luck.

[Tom7227]

Here's a link to the Northern Prairie Wildlife Center with complete instructions on how to build a Johnson bat house.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wildlife/ndblinds/johnbat.htm