So we are having our second floor bathroom remodeled. Contractor gutted the room. They also needed access to attic and basement for electrical and plumbing issues. My house is over 100 years old.
At first, a dead bat was found in the attic. After a lot of up and down in the attic one day, in the evening we had a bat flying around in our first floor. H and S went after it while I screamed. They trapped it finally, after my H was trying to smack it with a broom all over the place, while I screamed. Then we threw it outside.
Well that was weeks ago. Although the bathroom is not finished, we are just waiting on the Quartz vanity top and sink to be installed. No workers have been here in about two weeks other than the guys measuring the Quartz template. The attic door has not been opened recently.
Tonight, as I walked down the stairs a bat flew by me. I, of course, screamed. H and S once again trapped it and set it free outside.
Where did it come from? What are we to do? Anyone dealt with this? Any ideas?
They are living in the attic. Not uncommon in old houses. Like mice, they can squeeze through pretty small spaces. I’d suggest calling a pest control company and they can take measures in your attic. It’s best not to kill them if you can because bats are becoming more scarce and they are great at eat up mosquitos!
We’ve had that at our cottage. They can get through the tiniest cracks, often around the roof line/soffits…then into the walls…and out they pop. We installed a bat house a while back, and they seem to like that better. Also stuck steel wool in every crevice we could find. They eat gobs of mosquitoes. You’ll see them leave the house right at dusk if you go outside…so maybe you can see the entrance that way.
Not trying to kill them as I know they are very beneficial. Just not into them flying through my living room, dinining room, kitchen and family room. And although they are probably not rabid, flying at night, don’t really want to have to second guess if scratched or bit.
We have a rental in which we used to live but which has bat issues. I used to find them in the back hall periodically (nothing like finding a leaf that turns out to be a bat!). Recently paid $2000 to have the bat roost routed from the attic. Lesson? Bats are expensive to get rid of.
Yes we had this. Bat came through a crack where the pull down to the attic stairs was not 100% flush. They are attracted to moving air created by fans etc. I weatherstripped and made sure the area where I thought they were getting in was sealed and that did it. I’m sure there are still some in the attic.
You can have them evicted by a pest control specialist and then screening installed inside your attic vents tightly so that they can’t get back in. Don’t have the screen put on until you are certain the bats are out.
Bats are a protected species. You can only re home them in the fall. Right now they are breeding and and can’t be moved. From what I know, they will put vents in where the bats can get out but can’t get back in. And they try to caulk any places they might get in.
Ok my problem with the pest control. It was expensive and not guaranteed. You would think for the outrageous price charged to re home the little buggers, they could at least come back. And where would the bats go? The pest control didn’t give me any answers.
A bat house? I wonder it that could work, find them another place to go.
I would love to have a bat house ! We have two sheds on the other side of the fence of our pool /patio area. I think that bats get in to at least one of the sheds. I don’t mind them being in there, but I wouldn’t be happy with them flying around my house.
I read on a news website this morning that Zika virus has been found in Vt , so maybe a bat house would be a good idea. In the late summer evenings, we can see bats swoop down to drink from our pool , which is kind of cool to see.
Now I think I need to open that umbrella to keep bats out
deb922’s info is correct. They can’t be removed until fall.
When I was newly married, I once found a bat in my bathtub, flush to the drain. I screamed, ran out of the apartment, got in my car and went to my parents - leaving H to deal with it. I’m sure I slept at my folk’s house that night.
My bats story: We took our firstborn son up to our tiny cabin in the Maine woods when he was only a month or so old. I was sitting on the bunk bed next to him when I realized there was a bat flying around. In my surprise, I ran outside. Then I realized I’d left the baby inside! Geez.
We have bats in our belfry, too. We have a 100 plus farmhouse and they roost in the attic. The past few winters we didn’t seem to have any but I did hear them the other day. We have some bat houses built so this fall we’re going to have them removed and the screens installed.
And @dragonmom we also have the mammals that start with an r. They really like the chicken coop but the barn cats seem to have been keeping them away. I also just read that cayenne or chili pepper on the chicken feed keeps rodents away without bothering the hens.
We had one bat sneak into our house ( 2 different times, 2 different houses) but fortunately they don’t live in the attic… at least I think they don’t live there. First time we managed to trap it after 2 days and put it outside. Second time I got lucky and it was resting in a place where I could reach it and wack it with a broomstick. I actually felt bad about killing it but I didn’t want it flying around the house.
Tennis rackets work well if you have them. Use two and you can sandwich the bat in between and then let it free outside. Or lacrosse sticks.
Someone told me once when we either had a squirrel or mouse in the house that they rarely are solo creatures. Not 100% sure that is true for bats but I bet it is. (definitely true of rats) If you have one, you likely have more.
H has suggested that we have seen the same bat three times. ( I was recently informed first bat was not dead , as I had been told. It was found during the day and appeared dead but moved when being picked up. It was asleep, as bats do during the day.) He said this because bats come back to their “home.”
Frankly, I agree with you doschicos. There are more than one of them up in the attic and my H is wishful thinking.
Another turn of events. H found several 3 inch or so scratches on his thigh as well as a few red puncture marks. He does not know where they came from. He noticed them last night after the bat flight. The bat did not contact him, me or S during first floor flight. But he is wondering if said bat was flying around previous night and may have scratched or bit him.
Obviously we researched all we could on the Internet. Bats will bite if threatened, scared or sick. And, apparently it can be quick and unfelt. So now H is a bit concerened that this bat, that we have no idea where it came from, was in our second floor room the night before we saw it and scratched and/or bit him. So what do we do? Get shots? Figure it is okay and we are being overly dramatic? I really do not know. But this IS our third bat encounter in a few weeks. Ugh!
We have a 100 plus farmhouse and they roost in the attic. The past few winters we didn’t seem to have any but I did hear them the other day. We have some bat houses built so this fall we’re going to have them removed and the screens installed.