How to Remove Bat from Your Home

Bats in Arizona: Why They're Protected and How to Remove Bat from Your Home. 

As Halloween approaches, you may start seeing spooky decorations, haunted houses, and hearing stories of bats flying through the night. However, in Arizona, bats play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Though they might be unwelcome guests in your attic or chimney, it's important to know that bats are legally protected, and there are safe, humane ways to remove them from your home. Here's what you need to know about Arizona bats, their protected status, and how to handle a bat invasion without harming these incredible creatures.

Why Bats are Important in Arizona

Bats are crucial for controlling insect populations, consuming thousands of mosquitoes and other insects each night. Some species even pollinate plants, including Arizona’s iconic saguaro cactus. Their role in maintaining a balanced environment makes them vital to the ecosystem, and many species are protected by both state and federal law.

Did You Know?

• A single bat can eat over 1,000 mosquitoes per hour, making them nature's best pest control solution. The are also pollinator serving a curtail role in our environment.
• Bats make up 20% of the world’s mammal population and are the second most common mammal after rodents.
• Many species of bats are endangered or legally protected, making it illegal to harm or kill them without special permits.

What to Do If You Find Bats in Your Roof or Chimney

If you discover bats roosting in your home, your first reaction might be to remove them immediately. However, because bats are protected and provide significant environmental benefits, extermination is not an option. Instead, homeowners should focus on bat exclusion, a process that safely removes bats without harming them and prevents their return.

Bat Removal vs. Extermination: What You Need to Know

Bats are not like common pests such as termites or rodents. Most Phoenix pest control companies are not equipped to deal with wildlife, especially bats, because they require specific knowledge and experience. To properly address a bat infestation, you'll need a nuisance wildlife control expert who specializes in bat exclusion techniques.

The Bat Exclusion Process

The goal of bat exclusion is to remove bats humanely while ensuring they cannot return. Here’s how a professional wildlife control company typically handles a bat infestation:

1. Inspection & Identification: A thorough inspection is done to locate all possible entry points. Bats can squeeze through gaps as small as half an inch.
2. One-Way Doors: These are installed over entry points, allowing bats to exit but preventing them from coming back in. This requires precision to ensure all bats are safely excluded.
3. Sealing Entry Points: Once the bats have left, all gaps, cracks, and holes in the roof, chimney, and eaves are sealed to prevent future infestations.
4. Guano Cleanup: Bat droppings (guano) can pose health risks due to harmful bacteria and fungi. Professionals will decontaminate the affected areas to restore your home's safety.
5. Damage Repair: If bats have damaged your insulation, roofing, or walls, repairs will be necessary to maintain your home’s structure.

Why You Should Never Exterminate Bats

Bats are federally protected, and extermination without a permit is illegal. In addition, handling a bat problem without professional help can expose you to serious health risks, including diseases carried by bats. Trained wildlife control experts will follow all legal guidelines and ensure that the bats are safely excluded without causing harm and allowing them to be rehomed.

Keep Arizona Bats Out—The Right Way

Though bats might have a spooky reputation, they are critical to Arizona's environment.

If you find bats roosting in your home, don't panic! Reach out to a local wildlife removal expert who can provide safe, legal, and effective bat exclusion services. Let’s ensure bats continue to thrive in Arizona’s natural habitats, where they belong—not in your home.

For expert bat removal and home protection services, contact AAAC Wildlife Removal!