At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we are called in to help homeowners, businesses and landlords with their animal control issues. From time to time, we have particularly noteworthy jobs. This happened recently when our Houston wildlife control team discovered a major bat colony in an apartment complex.
Bat Nesting Behavior
Most species of bats tend to like to live together in large colonies. This behavior was on display at this apartment complex in Webster, Texas. Social species of bats may be found in dark areas such as mines, trees, caves and abandoned buildings. They will also roost in areas that are not regularly visited such as attic spaces.
Some examples of social bats include the gray bat, tri-colored bat, big brown bat, evening bat, and little brown bat and several live around the Houston area.
While less common, other species are solitary and are typically found by themselves. These may be harder to locate because single bats are quiet and make less of an impact. Many of these bats choose to migrate south to warmer climates during the winter. Depending on the year, some even end up in our region.
Bats in the Apartment Attic
We received the call from the apartment complex after tenants reported hearing scratching noises for several nights in a row. As Skedaddle knows, this is a common sign of a bat colony or other wildlife in the attic. The landlord had us come in and investigate the complex of 14 buildings.
“A visual inspection of the building showed multiple entry points for the bats,” said Garrick Chinnis-Plant, a technician on our Houston team. “Staining along the flashing all the way across the complex indicated the bats were squeezing in and out, and their droppings were another telltale sign of entry.” The entry points were primarily where the flashing and brick met. Bats can squeeze through surprisingly small holes. So, these tiny cracks were enough for them to get in.
Bat Removal Process
In the attic, the bats had established huge colonies. This was a significant issue that required our three-step bat removal process. This involves assessing the entire complex, clearing the bats from the attic and preventing them from returning by sealing their entry points. Once we had identified how the bats were entering, we needed to focus on getting them to leave and keeping them out.
We began by closing up the entry points using our HWC sealant. Protecting these cracks against the bats coming back is essential to make sure that they stay away permanently. Our team also set up one-way doors to let the bats out but not back in again. “One-way doors are narrow tunnels constructed from galvanized steel grates just large enough for bats to crawl through,” explained Garrick. Many people think that bats can fly through narrow tunnels. However, this isn’t quite true. Although bats can get through narrow spaces, they need to land first and crawl through small gaps. Thanks to this, the one-way doors are very effective.
The bats naturally leave to search for food. Therefore, this exclusion process was highly effective because it caused the colony to need to relocate to somewhere more appropriate. Once they left, we were able to clean and clear the attic space.
High-Quality Houston Wildlife Control Services
Whether you need bat removal or any other wildlife control services, you can count on Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. We apply proven techniques to not only remove wildlife safely for you and for the animals but also to ensure they stay away for the long-term. If you have any questions please contact us today. We look forward to helping you with your wildlife problems.
