Bat Removal MN | Bat Control
The most common bats that we deal with here in Minnesota area the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus). The Little Brown has a wingspan of about 7 inches. The Big Brown has a wingspan of about 12 inches. Both look similar, with velvety brown bodies and darker faces. Both are insectivorous. They roost during the day, oftentimes in colonies inside buildings, and emerge at dusk to drink water and feed on insects.
Meet The Brown Bat
These bats can eat almost half of their body weight in insects per night. They primarily consume beetles and moths. The young are born in the summer, usually in June. They are born large and grow quickly, and are able to fly within about 7-8 weeks. These bats usually 
form what are called maternity colonies – large groups of female bats that roost together and raise their young together. These maternity colonies can be as small as 30 members, or as many as several thousand, space permitting. They mate in the autumn, but delay fertilization until spring. Depending on the conditions in the roost, the bats may migrate elsewhere in winter in order to hibernate, or they may stay put. Bats are in the order Chioptera, meaning hand-wing, and are of course flying mammals.
Bat Removal
Bat removal is often one of the most complex tasks in the field of nuisance wildlife removal. There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some companies sell ultrasonic sound emitters, but they are completely ineffective, and the FTC has even issued a fraudulent product warning regarding these devices, which are worthless at eliminating bats. Some old wives’ tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but I’ve been to countless homes where these techniques failed – biologists know that these attempts won’t work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of a bat infestation is with physical exclusion of the animals. If you need to find a professional bat expert that can have your problem quickly taken care of!
Many bat exclusion cases are complex and unique. But bats are also unique mammals, and are protected in Minnesota and other states, making the method of removal very important.
The problem with doing it yourself are diseases. Droppings of any animal are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and diseases, and if you are not careful it could be harmful.
Histoplasmosis is a disease associated with bat guano and bird droppings caused by the microscopic spores of soil fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, which affects the lungs of humans. When droppings accumulate for years, a fungus (Histoplasma capsulatum) can grow and produce spores that may cause histoplasmosis when inhaled.
Perhaps the greatest health risk from bats is rabies. Yet it should be noted that typically less than 5 percent of bats tested for rabies are found to be rabid. In the bat population as a whole, the percentage of rabid bats is much smaller – less than 1 percent.
Rabies is a viral disease causing encephalitis (brain inflammation) in humans and animals. Humans can become infected when bitten by a rabid bat. Transmission also can occur when an infected bat’s saliva (but not blood, urine or feces unless these are mixed with spinal fluid – as can happen when a bat is beaten or crushed) comes in contact with a person’s eye, nose, mouth, a scratch or wound.
Of less importance are parasites associated with bats. Fleas, lice, mites and bat bugs can infest bats, birds and other animals. Some may transmit diseases to humans. If the host animals are killed or leave their nests or roosts, the parasites look for alternate hosts and may wander into the living spaces of structures. They may bite people and domestic animals, but most parasites cannot live long away from their preferred hosts. Control can often be accomplished by simply vacuuming the parasites and carefully discarding the vacuumed material. Sometimes, bat parasites such as bat bugs may have to be eliminated by application of pesticides labeled for this purpose.
Exclusion
Fortunately, there is a safe and effective procedure for humanely removing a maternity colony from a building. This procedure, called bat-proofing. Unlike other methods that may temporarily ward off bats, bat-proofing is a permanent solution to any bat problem.
Exclusion remains the best way to prevent and control bats in a structure. Bats can be excluded by sealing exterior openings larger than ½-inch, using caulk, expandable foam, plywood, mortar, metal flashing, steel wool or ¼-inch mesh screen or netting. Make sure doors, windows and vents have screens and are securely framed; chimneys are capped; and gaps around utility lines are plugged.
In May and June, one or two “pups” are born to pregnant bats in Minnesota. By the end of July, the young bats have taken wing, though they will continue to nurse until able to feed themselves exclusively on insects. Most bats, especially those in northern Illinois, leave their roosting places in September and early October to migrate south where they will overwinter in caves, rocky ledges and cliffs, and occasionally accessible walls and attics.
Therefore, bat entry points in structures are best sealed during the months of September through April, when no bats are present. Proper exclusion at this time will prevent bats from entering the structure in spring. Only at certain times can exclusion be performed while bats are roosting within the structure. This involves sealing openings after the young bats are old enough to fly (August or later in Minnesota).
Bat Removal MN
The only surefire way to get rid of a bad bat problem is to trap the bats and safely release them a good distance from your home… a very good distance.
Experience counts when working on bat removal, and it takes experience to get the job done right. If you have a bat infestation in your house, your best bet for getting rid of bats that you can’t seem to control is to call a professional in to do the job for you. Animal management professionals know what they’re doing and they’ll get the job done right.
So, contact a Minnesota Wild Animal Management Expert and get an estimate done. Hiring a professional company guarantees the safety of you and your family, along with prevention services to keep bats out for good. A pro will exclude them from the premises and make sure they can’t get back in, while thoroughly cleaning the biohazardous droppings that they leave behind.
