American Pest Management | Manhattan & Kansas City

November 3, 2009

So many friends, family, and clients have asked me this question over the years. The answer is yes, and not only can they harborage in the belfry, but also in attics, walls, chimneys, vents, under bridges, in barns, behind bark, and really any crack or hole that you can squeeze your thumb into. The most common bat in Kansas is the big brown bat. We typically start receiving phone calls for bats in May and June when the bats gather by the hundreds in maternity colonies. The Females bear 1-2 young each year and it takes the young 5-8 weeks to begin flying on their own.
Bats are actually very good pest control providers as they consume 1/3 of their body weight each evening in insects, primarily beetles.

As a homeowner, the first sign of bats you may notice is the chatter or scratching in your wall or attic. The two most common bat entry points we find are vents that lead into an attic or gaps created where the overhang of your home meets the chimney. Once an entry point is found, other common signs you may notice is guano (similar to rodent droppings) under the point of entry or staining near the entry point. If you are really curious to see where the bats are entering your home, if you sit outside 15 minutes before dusk you may see them leave your home.

Even though bats are very important to our environment, there are several reasons why we should not want them living above our heads. Reasons include: Rabies, Funguses from Guano, the carrier of Bat Bugs and the chatter and scratching noise at 1:00 AM.

So how do you remove a bat from your home if it is inside? Another common question asked by a homeowner. Because there is always the fear of rabies, do not handle a bat with your bare hands. The easiest way to remove a sleeping bat is to place a box over the top of the bat, then carefully slide a flat piece of cardboard between the box and the bat removing the bat from the ceiling or wall into the box.

Remember bats are protected by federal and state law, so the control of this wildlife is limited. As always if you have any questions regarding bats, bat exclusion procedures, or would like to schedule a bat inspection, we are here to help.

Written by Travis Aggson
Manhattan, Ks