Bats (6604)

Bats are fairly common in most parts of Pennsylvania and normally live in hollow trees, under loose bark, and in cracks of rocky ledges. In urban areas they may utilize attics or areas behind shutters and downspouts. These bats feed exclusively on insects.

During late summer and early fall, bats born in the spring leave their mothers. They occasionally find their way into houses in the early evening. This occurs accidentally when they seek shelter or hiding places. They can enter through an opening as small as one half inch in diameter. Once indoors, bats will try to escape. Open exterior doors and windows in a room in which a bat is trapped, and leave the room.  The bat will usually leave.

Bats can't make holes for entry, so caulking or otherwise closing openings makes a house bat-proof. No chemical controls are registered for use against bats. Repellents and ultrasound devices have not been proven effective. If bat colonies are located in attics or other parts of a building, you can easily scare the bats out in the evening and block their entry holes while they are gone. Netting (plastic or cloth) with 1/4" holes can be attached above a suspected entrance and dropped 1”-2” below. This will allow bats to leave, yet make it difficult for them to re-enter. Be very careful when cleaning up bat droppings, as they may harbor disease organisms.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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