How do I bat proof my house? Use window screens, chimney caps, and draft-guards beneath doors to attics, fill electrical and plumbing holes with stainless steel wool or caulking, and ensure that all doors to the outside close tightly. Prevent bats from roosting in attics or buildings by covering outside entry points. CDC Bat Management
What do bats eat? Bats are the most significant predators of night-flying insects. There are at least 40 different kinds of bats in the U.S. that eat nothing but insects. A single little brown bat, which has a body no bigger than an adult human’s thumb, can eat 4 to 8 grams (the weight of about a grape or two) of insects each night.
What time of year can bats be removed? In most states, regulators allow bat-proofing and bat removal beginning sometime from early August to late August and continuing until females start caring for young again in early spring, March to May.
Why are bats important? By eating insects, bats save U.S. agriculture billions of dollars per year in pest control. Some studies have estimated that service to be worth over $3.7 billion per year, and possibly as much as $53 billion. This value does not, however, take into account the volume of insects eaten by bats in forest ecosystems. U.S. Department of the Interior
Where do bats live? Bats can be found in almost all parts of the world and in most regions of the United States. In general, bats seek out a variety of daytime retreats such as caves, rock crevices, old buildings, bridges, mines, and trees. Different species require different roost sites.
There are a wide variety of bat species in the US, though it’s usually the colonizing bat types that cause problems in buildings and require bat removal services.
How long does a bat live? Between 20 and 40 years. Compared to a similar-sized animal like a rat that lives only two or three years, bats live between 20 and 40 years. Researchers theorize this has to do with the ability of bats to fly.