Unwanted Bats
Although bats are extremely beneficial and help maintain balance in ecosystems, there are times when they can become a nuisance, and bat colonies living in human structures sometimes create problems.
An understanding of the habits of these beneficial animals can help solve problems that sometimes develop when bats roost in buildings.
Bats living in buildings do not cause structural damage nor do they chew on wires or wood!
Reasons for Conflict
On the one hand, human expansion has resulted in loss of habitat, forcing bats to look for alternative roosts in which to live and raise their young. On the other, human structures provide substitutes for refuges that are scarce in the wild. Roof voids, attics, vacant buildings and lapas all provide bats with warm, safe places to live.
Bat colonies living in human structures may sometimes be noisy or create unpleasant odours. Fruit farmers may experience damage to their crops by fruit bats.
Some people just don’t want them in their homes, even though they may have been there for years before being discovered.
Make sure that your fears are not unwarranted(See About Bats, Bat Myths & Bat Facts).
Bats in buildings
Certain species of bats have adapted to human structures which provide substitutes for refuges that are scarce in the wild. Roof voids, vacant buildings and lapas all provide bats with warm, safe places to live.
Bat colonies living in buildings may sometimes be noisy or create unpleasant odours. For large colonies or those that have existed for a long time, their accumulated guano can damage ceilings, especially if it comes into contact with water. This is more likely in the warmer parts of the country (e.g. along the east coast) and is seldom a problem in Gauteng or the Free State provinces.
Should you evict bats from your roof?
There is little reason to evict bats from buildings where they are not causing any of the problems listed above.
Contrary to what you may have heard:
- Bats with rabies or rabies type diseases are rather rare.
- Bats are not filthy and will not infest homes with dangerous parasites. Like all animals, bats can carry certain parasites. However these are adapted specifically to bats and cannot live on humans.
- Bats are not aggressive and will not attack people or pets. Please read further on Bat Conflict before taking the step to evict bats.
If eviction of bats is deemed necessary, the best way to do so is by a method known as Exclusion.
Excluding bats from a dwelling is the only long-term control method for bats who are a nuisance in a building. It can be fairly straightforward, but is sometimes not, requiring some expense and a lot of effort. When people realise this they often elect to simply rather live with the bats, especially if there are not problems such as odour or noise.
