How To Keep Bats Outdoors

Bats in a tree. Interstate Pest Management serving Portland OR & Vancouver WA talks about how to keep bats outdoors.

They cause damage and can eventually find their way into your home. There are no products to use that will repel bats and killing them is not only illegal, but also inhuman. Organic pest control is the best way to deal with a bat infestation, but there is a step you can take to prevent the infestation from happening. A simple way to prevent bats from residing in your attic is to put bat houses up around your home, yard, and anywhere else they may appear. Bats aren’t a huge issue around every corner of the northwest. However, the more rural areas do experience a larger bat population. Putting up bat houses is a good solution for organic pest control.

What is a Bat House?

A bat house is a simple structure that you can buy or build yourself. It looks like an ordinary box but the bottom is kept open so the bats can fly in and out. This is a great method to practice organic pest control to keep the bats away from your home or attic. Inside the box are little poles for the bats to hang off when they are resting or sleeping. Bats in the northwest are very small, so the bat house is typically smaller in size. It mounts perfectly on a tree in the back yard or even on a stake. Some people even mount the bat house on the side of their house. The house encourages the bats to reside here instead of inside your home. Bats are looking for a dark covered area that they can hang in.

Advantages of Bat Houses

  • Keeps bats out of your home and attic
  • Bats will eat the insects around your house
  • Will help preserve the bat population
  • Gives bats a secure habitat

Bats are extremely beneficial to have around the house. Preventing the infestation of bats without using harmful chemicals is an organic pest control method used to rid them from the home. They will help keep your garden up and running by eating all the bad bugs. They particularly like to feed on mosquitos, which is very helpful for those who like to spend their summers outside.
Some other common bugs that the bats will eat are:

Bugs Bats Eat

  • Mosquitos
  • Moths
  • Flies
  • Beatles
  • Various other Flying Insects

There are several different types of bats that fly around the northwest. They are nocturnal mammals and hibernate during the winter. Many of the bats in the northwest are smaller bats that feed on bugs and nectar from flowers and occasionally a ripe piece of fruit. Several bat species are under preservation laws that companies practicing organic pest control methods take seriously. These are the bats you will most commonly find flying around your home:

Most Common Northwest Bats

  • California Myotis
  • Western Small-footed Myotis
  • Western Long-eared Myotis
  • Little Brown Bat
  • Fringed Myotis
  • Long-legged Myotis
  • Yuma Myotis
  • Hoary Bat

Put Those Bats to Rest

You might find an infestation of bats in your attic during the cooler seasons. Bats hibernate during the winter and therefore are looking for a place to stay during the cold seasons. Fall is a great time to put up bat housing if you haven’t already. If you don’t want your home to become their home for the winter then consider putting out a bat house. This way they get the warm home they need for the winter, and you don’t have to share with them. Bat pest problems should be handled with extreme care due to the loss in bat population. When dealing with a bat infestation be sure to call Interstate Pest Control, as we practice organic pest control and will take care of you and the bats!

Fun Bat Facts

•    Only mammals with the ability to fly

•    Use echolocation to find food in the dark (Echolocation is making noise and waiting for the sound waves to bounce back in order to locate an object)

•    Can live for over 20 years

•    There are 3 species of vampire bats who do in fact feed on blood