It's that time of year when the animals are coming back out, and occasionally driving homeowners crazy. As nature wakes up it starts to invade our spaces for a number of reasons. Many animals are looking for food after near starvation during the winter, some are changing nesting sites or building more in anticipation of young, and others are exploring the environment after hiding out. Bats are a huge complaint this time of year so let's take a closer look at what they want and how to get rid of them.
Bats do one of two things in winter depending on the species. Almost all migrate a little, but some do a long migration to warmer climates and stay active, while others migrate to specific cave systems and hibernate. This mass exodus when the chilly season arrives has the opposite effect come spring, with a giant influx of bats.
Before the bats go into hibernation they mate and become pregnant, but go into such a deep hibernation that they actually put the pregnancy on hold mid-winter while their bodies slip into an almost death-like coma. When the moms and dads wake up with the warmer weather they are anxious to get to a safe place before the babies arrive, and some of them have a ways to travel before then. They are seeking dry, warm, dark shelters; attics and sheds are perfect.
So what can you do? Well, with anything pest related, prevention is key. You want to start with a perimeter check of any structures on your property. Any openings, whether they are supposed to be there need to be sealed. Doorways and windows need a tight seal, but also check for cracks and holes under eaves or crawlspaces. Next is to make sure you clean up these areas of loose material that bats can hide in.
Often times these preventative measures will do the trick, but if not then you can use tools to drive bats out. Just make sure you install these deterrents well before they have their young or they are much harder to get rid of. Our Guardian does the job! The combination of the strobe light and ultrasonic sound made for bats is very effective, creating a very chaotic environment, especially with bats' sensitive hearing and sight.
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