Here at Elite Wildlife, we routinely talk to homeowners about all of the dangers of leaving bats in the attic. Guano, in particular, can turn a perfectly nice home into a living nightmare.
But did you know there are some parts of the year when it becomes impossible for even a wildlife exclusion company like ours to remove bats from Houston homes?
Welcome to bat mating season. While we’ve covered this topic in the past, we’ve mostly talked about trying to get exclusion services prior to the start of mating season. Now that summer is nearly here, though, we need to talk about what you should do if you realize you have bats but the exclusion window has already closed.
When is bat mating season?
Bat mating season can run from mid-April through August. That means if you have bats in your attic right now, we have to wait until they’ve gone through a full breeding cycle before we can do anything about them.
Of course, if you have them, we still recommend calling. Set an appointment for the day mating season ends, because those bats are already doing damage, and it’s only going to get worse. Just know that the summer blackout period is real.
Why is it illegal to use exclusion methods on bats during the summer months?
It’s not just illegal, it’s a bad idea if you want to protect your home, too.
Doing so traps flightless pups inside your walls. That means dead animals. And dead animal smells. Secondary pest infections. And all this will be happening during the height of Houston heat.
When we tell you no during the summer months, we’re actually protecting you. Because dead bats are a far, far worse problem for your home than live bats. You want those pups to get wings so they can get out with all the other bats when the time comes.
How can you survive a “batty” Houston summer if you caught the problem too late?
There are actually steps you can take to reduce and minimize the damage.
The primary goal will be to strengthen the barrier between the attic where the bats live and the rest of your home, where the people and pets live.
- Check the weather stripping around your interior attic hatch or pull-down stairs.
- Ensure the trim around recessed lighting fixtures and AC vents is properly caulked.
- If you have a fireplace, ensure the dampener is closed up tight.
Your only goal right now is to give bats the space to come and go from outside without ever ending up in your bedroom where they might panic and bite someone.
Next, stay away from the guano. Yes, it’s gross that it’s accumulating in your attic. No, you don’t want to touch it now. Wait for exclusion and remediation methods. Bat guano is typically full of histoplasma fungi and those spores can become airborne. That means you could be looking at a severe respiratory infection as well as unwanted summer roommates.
Schedules Fill Fast
Do not wait until August to call.
Make your September appointment right now. The late-summer exclusion schedule fills up fast thanks to this very issue.
By preparing now, you can make sure you’re one of the first Houston homes that is sealed and cleaned by the time the fall months start.