A bat infestation can be surprisingly difficult to find. Bats are adept at hiding in secluded places like your attic or rafters. However, there are telltale signs of bats in your house to watch for. Unfortunately, a colony of bats can damage your home and become a serious health hazard. If you notice any of the below indications, contact a professional bat removal company right away. Don’t let your bat problem linger.
Most bats infest the high, secluded areas of your home, like your rafters, attic, or eaves and soffits. When you go looking for them, start high and work your way lower. As for what you’re looking for, keep an eye out for each of the following signs:
Droppings
Bat droppings are also known as “guano.” Bats eat insects and don’t generally need to drink very much, so their droppings are dry and flakey. They tend to look very similar to mouse droppings: small, black, cone-shaped, and solid. To tell the difference between mouse poop vs bat poop, look for insect exoskeletons that sparkle when light is shined on it. Bat poop will also be larger than mouse poop. Be sure to always take precautions around bat droppings as they are toxic to humans.
Guano tends to accumulate wherever bats roost, so it will pile up beneath places where they sleep. Guano may be accompanied by urine. You may also find it near entry and exit points such as window and door frames. During warm seasons, guano may accumulate around your porch, deck, or roof as bats fly in and out of their roosts to hunt.
Odors
Bats themselves don’t necessarily smell bad. In fact, many have an earthy or woodsy musk. What you will notice is a pungent smell due to bat waste.
What does bat guano smell like? Bat waste produces a strong ammonia smell, particularly as it begins to decompose. The more guano accumulates and the longer it sits, the stronger the smell becomes. The accumulation of this waste can pose a serious health hazard.
Urine Trails
Depending on the size of the infestation, you may be able to identify urine trails near roosting sites. Bats tend to urinate while roosting or in-flight, so their urine falls some distance and splatters. Likewise, bat droppings may break apart upon dropping or sitting for some time. Look for bat urine stains, splatters or dry, flakey dust-like remnants. Guano may even sparkle in the light, as it contains partially-digested insect exoskeletons.
Black Stains Near Frames
Bats crawl into homes through small cracks and crevices around attics. They’ll find cracks near door and window frames or openings around siding or near utilities. Like rodents, bats can squeeze through remarkably small cracks to enter homes.
As bats squeeze through their openings, they leave behind a black, greasy stain from resin that accumulates on the bat’s skin. These stains will be dark-colored and may wear away at wood over time. Look for dark spots on wood near places where bats might sneak into your home, particularly around frames.
Scratches Along Walls
As bats struggle to squeeze through cracks and crevices, they’ll scratch nearby surfaces with their claws. Even after entering a home, bats will often scratch up rafters or walls while looking for places to roost. Bat claws are small, so look for a series of shallow, thin, and short cut marks.
Look for scratches near the same areas you’d look for the black stains above. Bats also tend to carve up any surfaces they roost on, so you’ll find marks on rafters and pillars, too. They may also rip up insulation as they dig into your home, so look for insulation damage or stains.
Strange Noises at Night
Bats are famously nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and wake up at night. Bats generally keep to this schedule relatively closely even after they’ve infiltrated your home. During the day, bats will hunker down in roosting hiding places and sleep. At night, however, bats will start to stir… and talk.
If you have bats living in your home, you might hear bat “squeaking” or “chirping” in your attic at night. Bats make high-pitched squeaking or “chattering” noises to communicate and find their way around.
Signs It’s Time for Bat Removal
If you’ve noticed any of the above signs of bats, it’s time to take the next step. Don’t panic! Identifying that you have a bat problem is the most important step to solving it. Call Varment Guard right away. We’ll be able to safely, humanely, and effectively remove your bat problem and ensure your home is clean and healthy.
