Too much guano: Getting Bats out of barn - ideas?

[QRTRHRS]

While catching up on this posting, I remembered a house I had for about 20 years but had sold about 20 years ago as well. The house was built somewhere between 1720 and 1750 (not in KY). I did not entirely eliminate the bats but burning a 60 watt lightbulb kept them out of the main attic areas.

 

[MossRoad]

At sun-set it starts getting darker in the attic than it is outside. The bats in the attic see the light from outside and leave to hunt. That's sometimes why bats come into houses from the attic or basement... they are in the dark and see the lights in the house, so they think that's the outside and fly towards the light.

When the sun starts to come up, the bats sense the light and look for a dark place to roost... your attic. So, put some lights in your attic that stay on past sunrise. I put a photo eye well under the eaves on the west side of my house and hooked it to some fixtures in the attic with CFL bulbs in them. As the bats leave in the evening and the sun sets, the photo eye turns on the lights in the attic. They stay on all night, so any returning bats won't like it in there. And they don't go out until about half an hour after sunrise, so by then the bats have gone elsewhere to roost.

The CFL bulbs are only 7 watt, but they only last about a year or so. I'm putting in LED bulbs soon.

Anyhow, I did this after we had 4 bats in the house in two years. Haven't had any in about 3 years now. Maybe it works.

 

[Paddy]

2ndhalf,

the cube shape led to the "creepy and Spooky" Adam's family style. Called Second empire.

They say it can take a year or two before bats feel comfortable with the new structure.

 

[2ndhalf]

2ndhalf,

the cube shape led to the "creepy and Spooky" Adam's family style. Called Second empire.

They say it can take a year or two before bats feel comfortable with the new structure.

I see the adams family look I love that. I was joking all the way.I hope it fills with bats and please let us know. I would love a bathouse like that filled with bats.

My wife .. not so much likey bats :laughing:

 

[beowulf]

Thanks guys for taking the time to help me out with our bat problem. A lot of good suggestions here and I will start to try out a few. I note that the problem is much less in the late Fall and Winter and greatest in the Spring and Summer. I will read a bit more about their habits and plan some course of action.

 

[comancheflight]

Because they hibernate from late fall (Oct/Nov) until spring arrives (Mar/Apr)

 

[beowulf]

Because they hibernate from late fall (Oct/Nov) until spring arrives (Mar/Apr)

I figured that had to be it - tho we do still see a bit of guano - only a fraction of what they usually leave. Maybe this is the time to try to get rid of them - somehow.

 

[MossRoad]

As mentioned, they probably hibernate somewhere else and only spend warmer months in your barn. For example, one species of bat we have around here is the Indiana bat. It can be found all over the eastern part of the country. However, in winter, they only hibernate in a few caves in the region.

Can you identify the bat species you are dealing with? Perhaps that can help you find ways to discourage it or find it alternative housing. :laughing: