Why Are Bats Still Hanging Around My Home? Understanding Post-Exclusion Bat Activity
You’ve just had your home professionally bat-excluded, and for the most part, the bats have left! Yet you still see a few bats lingering outside your house—hanging on your porch, deck, or even near the eaves. You might be wondering: “Why are they still here?” “Are they still getting in?” The truth is, while exclusion drastically reduces bat residency, it can’t completely stop bats from flying by or temporarily roosting near your property. In this article, we’ll explain why bats might continue to be active around your home after exclusion, discuss the role of environmental factors, and review common methods homeowners use to deter these “hangers.”
The Nature of Bat Behavior
Bats Are Wild, Mobile Creatures
Even after a successful exclusion, bats remain wild animals with natural behaviors that can’t be entirely controlled. Much like deer or rabbits that may roam through your yard regardless of fences, bats continue to fly, feed, and roost in nearby trees or structures. A sealed home means bats have lost their primary roosting site, so it’s normal to see them searching for a new home or temporarily hanging out close by.
Why Bats Hang Around
Bats may be seen hanging on the exterior of your home for several reasons:
Feeding: Outdoor lights often attract insects, and where there are bugs, bats will be drawn to feed. If your home is near a body of water or a natural feeding ground, bats may also linger for food.
Resting: After a long night of hunting, bats may land on a nearby wall or porch to rest or digest their food before taking off again.
Searching for a New Roost: When displaced, bats will scout the area for alternative roosting sites. This “searching” behavior can temporarily result in more bat activity around your property. This is also why you may even see a bat during the day time resting on the side of a home.
Post-Exclusion Bat Activity: What to Expect
A Temporary Phenomenon
Following a successful bat exclusion, you might notice an uptick in bat activity immediately afterward. This is normal—bats that once lived in your home are now forced to find a new roost. For a couple of weeks, you might see a few stragglers, often called "hangers," as they test the boundaries of their former territory. However, after this brief adjustment period, most bats will move on to find a more suitable habitat elsewhere.
Environmental Influences
Certain factors can affect post-exclusion bat activity:
Proximity to Feeding Grounds: If your property is near a lake, river, or natural insect hotspot, bats may be attracted simply because the food is plentiful.
Outdoor Lighting: Floodlights and other exterior lights can create a bug magnet, drawing bats to the area. In such cases, turning lights on might even increase bat presence.
Seasonal Variations: During peak feeding times in the warmer months, bats are naturally more active. This seasonal behavior might make it seem like there’s a persistent bat issue, even if your home is secure.
Common Methods to Deter Bats from Lingering
Homeowners often try various tactics to discourage bats from hanging around after exclusion. Let’s review some popular options and what the research and experience say about them.
Scent-Based Deterrents
Many people turn to natural scents to repel bats. Commonly suggested options include:
Cinnamon Sticks: Some homeowners place cinnamon sticks around potential bat hangouts. The strong odor may deter bats initially.
Moth Balls: Although moth balls have a potent smell, their use is controversial due to potential toxicity and environmental impact.
Peppermint Extract: This popular scent is often used in various deterrent applications, including bat repellents.
Effectiveness:
While these scents can have a short-term repelling effect, bats are remarkably adaptable. Research and field experience indicate that if you use the same scent continuously, bats quickly learn to tolerate it. A more effective approach might be to alternate scents weekly—cinnamon one week, moth balls the next, then peppermint—to keep bats from habituating. However, even with alternating scents, these methods rarely provide a permanent solution.
Electronic and Light Emitters
Some products available online, such as ultrasonic sound emitters or specialized light devices, claim to repel bats.
Effectiveness:
According to our experience and available research, these devices generally do not work as advertised. Bats may initially react to unusual sounds or lights, but they often quickly adapt and resume their normal behavior. Therefore, relying solely on these devices can result in wasted time and money.
Why Professional Bat Exclusion Remains the Best Option
Comprehensive Solutions
Professional bat exclusion is the cornerstone of effective bat management. While you can’t control wild bats from flying near your property entirely, a professional exclusion removes bats from living in your home, encouraging them to live, feed, and fly elsewhere. This process involves:
Thorough Inspection: Experts identify every potential entry point—often gaps as small as a pencil tip—that bats could use.
Humane Removal: Using one-way devices, professionals ensure that bats exit safely without harm.
Complete Sealing: Once the bats are removed, all vulnerabilities are sealed to prevent re-entry.
Setting the Right Expectations
It’s important to understand that even after a flawless exclusion, bats may still fly near or briefly roost on the exterior of your home. Just as a fence doesn’t prevent birds from flying overhead, a bat-proof home can’t keep bats completely away from your property. Their presence nearby is natural and typically diminishes over time as they settle into new, more attractive roosts.
Expert Recommendations
At Durand’s Bat Removal, our experts advise homeowners to focus on exclusion rather than supplementary deterrents like bat houses, ultrasonic devices, or constant scent changes. These methods might offer temporary relief, but they rarely address the root cause. Proper exclusion and structural sealing provide long-term protection against infestations.
Conclusion
If you see bats flying around your home or your neighbors have a bat issue, it’s natural to be concerned about your own home. However, a well-executed bat exclusion program drastically reduces the risk of bats roosting in your house. While you might see a few bats lingering nearby in the days or weeks following exclusion, this is typically a temporary phase as the displaced bats seek a new roost.
Preventative measures—such as regular home inspections and timely maintenance—are key to keeping bats at bay. Supplementary deterrents like alternating scents or electronic devices may provide short-term benefits, but they cannot replace the comprehensive solution offered by professional bat exclusion.
Remember, bats are wild animals that will continue to fly near your property if there’s a nearby food source or natural habitat, much like deer or rabbits. Your focus should be on keeping them out of your home, not on stopping their natural movement in the environment.
By choosing professional bat exclusion from a trusted service like Durand’s Bat Removal, you ensure that your home is secured against future infestations while maintaining a safe and healthy living environment.