The old adage that pest are more scared of us than we are of them holds true. Wildlife, like raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and bats, are a nuisance, but we have to remember that our homes are often built in the middle of their natural habitats. However, bats and other pests can be dangerous carriers of illness and disease. In fact, bats are North America’s largest carriers of rabies.

While not all homeowners will come face-to-face with a wildlife invasion, it is important to remain vigilant when dealing with pests in our backyards, attics, and homes.

How do I know if there’s a bat in my home?

Believe it or not, it’s not always obvious when a bat has invaded our home, especially if we live in heavily populated areas where loud noises are prevalent.
Below are the most common signs to help you determine if you have a bat problem in your home:

• Droppings and stains that cannot be explained: Bat droppings are called guano, and are also relatively easy to notice. If your home is infested with bats, you’ll notice guano around your home, most likely near the entrances or in the attic. In addition, bats are coated in a layer of grease so you may be able to spot black and brown stains near the points of your home where they enter or exit.
• Squeaking and scratching: When homeowners typically hear scratching or squeaking sounds inside their walls, they often assume the culprit is a mouse. If you do hear squeaking or scratching, or notice scratch marks anywhere in or around your home, you may have a bat problem.
• Strange odours and the smell of ammonia: If you smell anything strange in your home, you should be on the lookout for an infestation of any kind. Inexplicable odours are often a sign of some form of invasion. If you smell ammonia specifically, you’re most likely inhaling the odour of guano, which is a definite sign that there are bats on the loose.
• Dead bats around your home and bats flying in-and-out of your home: This is perhaps the clearest sign that your home is infested with unwanted wildlife. If you notice bats around your home, be on the lookout for an infestation.

Bat Exclusion & Prevention

There are ways to deal with a bat invasion in a humane way. Bat exclusion is a process that involves building one-way valves out of plastic mesh in order to prevent bats from entering the home. The valves are built around bat roosts, so that bats can easily leave a home, but not re-enter. The process is humane, environmentally friendly and practiced regularly by our technicians at ICE Pest.
Contact us at ICE Pest Control if you notice a potential bat invasion in and around your property. Our technicians will visit your home, conduct a thorough inspection, and carry out necessary exclusion processes for bat control and removal. We also offer services for wildlife removal and the control of other species in the Greater Toronto area. Visit our website to learn more about our humane wildlife control services.