Wildlife, Rodent, & Pest Control Services

Bats are a common wildlife species in the Knoxville area, and their presence is often beneficial. Bats are nocturnal, insectivorous predators that feast on flying insects, playing a key role in controlling local populations of mosquitoes. If you see bats flying around your yard around dusk or dawn, it usually isn’t a cause for concern. The only exception is if the bats appear to be flying into or out of your house.

Bats traditionally roost in caves but any dark, sheltered area makes for a valid substitute, and that includes the attics of homes in Knoxville. Bats in the attic can be very destructive, so it’s best to have them removed as soon as you discover them. Keep reading to learn how you know if there are bats living in your attic and what you can do to get rid of them.

Signs You Have Bats in the Attic

Because they’re only active at night, bats can go unnoticed within the attic of your Knoxville home for some time. As a result, you’ll often smell a bat infestation before you see it. That’s because bat droppings, which are known as guano, have an extremely pungent ammonia stench. When a colony of bats roosts in your attic, their guano will pile up quickly and the smell will soon permeate your home. In addition to guano, you may see or smell bat urine, which often appears as white streaks. Bat guano and urine are highly corrosive and, if bats persist in your attic for long enough, their waste may begin visibly seeping through your ceiling.

While they’re quieter than many other attic intruders in Knoxville, you may also hear bats living in your attic. Bats make high-pitched squeaking noises that are often inaudible to the human ear, though you may hear them if you listen closely. Bat pups tend to be the loudest, so if you have reproducing bats in your attic, you’ll be more likely to hear them. You might also hear the fluttering of bat wings as they enter or exit your attic. If you suspect you have a bat infestation, listen for these sounds right around dusk or dawn, when bats are likely to be coming and going.

How to Remove Bats from the Attic

Once you discover a bat infestation in your attic, it’s important to get rid of the bats sooner rather than later. While bats are not actively destructive like rodents are, their corrosive waste can cause extensive damage to insulation, flooring, and pipes in your attic. However, before you take any measures to remove bats from your attic, it’s important to know that bats are protected by law in the state of Tennessee from May 1 to August 1, which is the season when bats are usually raising their pups. During this time, it is illegal to remove bats from your home or otherwise harm them. To avoid being stuck with bats all summer, be sure to inspect your attic for any sign of them in spring.

As for removing bats from your attic, you might be in for a tough time if you try to do it yourself. While you may be able to trap or shoo out a lone bat, getting rid of an entire bat colony can be very difficult. It is also dangerous to handle bats, as they are commonly carriers of rabies, which they can spread to you by biting.

To keep yourself safe and ensure all bats are removed, hire a professional bat removal company in Knoxville. Experienced bat removal technicians will be able to carefully evict all bats from your attic, a process which often involves installing a one-way valve over bats’ entry points so they can fly out but won’t be able to return. Once all the bats are out, your wildlife control provider can seal off these entry points to permanently prevent bats from entering your attic.

Licensed Bat Control Company in Knoxville

If you’ve discovered a bat issue in your attic, let the pros take care of it for you. Give Critter Wranglers a call today if you’re in need of bat removal services in the Knoxville area!