Bat’s in the attic that need to be removed are a common issue in Maine. Bat removal in Maine is fairly straightforward, however it tends to be very labor intensive. The bats themselves are not removed through trapping as they are with other animals such as squirrels. Bat removal really means bat eviction.
The entire home needs to be made bat proof in order for the exclusion and eviction to work properly. This is where the art and science of bat exclusion comes in. Understanding how a home is built and functions, and how bats behave are important to have an effective bat removal program. The Little Brown Bat that we have here in Maine only needs ¼” gap to squeeze through to gain entry inside your home. There are a lot of potential cracks that size on a home. Even if a section of home looks secure from the ground, a gap that small can be easily obscured in shadows. Even when the house is otherwise tight, it takes going over the entire structure to ensure there are no gaps where bats can re-enter the home in the future.
If bats are in the attic they can be removed by sealing off the entire structure except for the primary and secondary access points. Then one-way doors can be used to allow the bats one way out of the attic. This way they can leave easily but not get back inside your home.
We do not do any bat trapping at Maine Wildlife Management. Bat trapping and relocation is not effective and can cause more stress on the bats than necessary. Relocated bats will just fly back to your attic. The only sure fire way to remove and keep bats out of your home is through full and thorough bat sealing of the entire building.
Bat colonies in the attic can often be removed within a few days to a few weeks once the home is secured and proper steps have been taken to ensure future bats can’t get back in. There is a period during the summer refered to as a “blackout” period. This is the time when full bat exclusions can not take place. During this blackout period the mother bats are having pups. The baby bats are not yet able to fly. If the entire home were sealed off and one way doors put on, then the adults would leave to feed at night and the babies would be trapped inside to die. This is a situation that no one wants, the bats included.
During the summer months we often do a lot of partial bat exclusions. We spend a lot of time sealing the home from the inside to make sure that bats can not enter your bedrooms or living rooms. Then the home is fully sealed and inspected on the outside EXCEPT for the primary and secondary exits. These exits do not get one way doors until the fall when the pups are mobile and have learned to fly. Once they have learned to fly though the majority of the work has been completed and the rest of the exclusion can take place and the job finished up.
We keep the bats out of the bedrooms, they are saved to continue eating malaria causing mosquitoes and insects, and your home become secured against future bats once and for all. If you need professional and quality help with bats in your attic give Maine Wildlife Management a call now for a free quote and inspection.
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