Have you heard squeaking and flapping sounds coming from your attic? Have you started to smell a harsh, musty odor seeping through your ceiling? These signs point to the presence of bats in your attic. Each year, many homes in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary metro area struggle with bat infestations. If you’ve got bats under your roof, you’re probably wondering how difficult it would be to get rid of the bats on your own.
Attempting to remove any wildlife from your home and prevent its return is challenging to accomplish with do-it-yourself methods. Bats are particularly challenging because, between their small size and ability to fly, they can infiltrate your home through holes that are difficult to locate and access. The most common means of bat removal and prevention is to install a one-way valve over the bats’ entry point, which allows the critters to exit but not to return. However, if the bats have multiple entry points, this method may not be viable. Properly installing this exclusion device may also prove challenging depending on its location.
There’s also the issue of legality when it comes to bat removal. Throughout the state of North Carolina, bats may not be removed from a home from May 1 to July 31 since bats are protected animals which play a beneficial role in the ecosystem. Attempting to remove bats during this time could result in legal trouble.
Finally, it’s worth noting that bats commonly carry the rabies virus, which can be spread to humans by biting. While bats are not aggressive creatures, rabies can make them more erratic and they’re also more prone to bite if they perceive you as a threat. A DIY bat removal attempt could result in bites that infect you with the life-threatening rabies virus.
Overall, professional bat removal is a much safer option than getting rid of bats on your own. Call Southern Wildlife & Land Management today to schedule bat removal services in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary area!
NCSU Alumni