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Sometimes an individual bat, often a lost youngster, will
accidentally fly into your house, garage or other building. When this happens
their main goal is to escape back outside. The bat will often leave on its own
if exterior doors and windows are left open while interior entrances are
closed. However, if the bat isn’t leaving by itself, wait until the bat lands
on a wall and then cover it with a small box or other container. Slip a piece
of cardboard between the container and the wall, gently trapping the bat. Wait
until nightfall, and release the bat outside. Remember bats cannot take flight
from the ground so either gently tilt the container to one side and the bat
should fly out or hold the container against a high wall or the branch of a
tree and the bat should cling to the surface and be left there.
 Do you have a whole roost of bats in your house? Bats are great neighbors but you may not want them actually in your house so one solution is to build (or buy) and install a bat house. It’s best to mount the house and leave it for a while before you
exclude the bats from your house so they know it’s there. However, bats rarely
leave an active roost site for another. While the colony is active, go outside at dusk and see where bats are exiting from. Once all the bats have given
birth and raised their young for the year, you can then create one-way exits for the bats from
the building and seal any other potential entry points. The best time to do
this is during September and October. Don’t just wait for the bats to fly out
at night and then seal openings as not all bats leave at the same time and some
bats may stay in all night, especially during storms. Hopefully, the bats will
simply start to use the bat house so you can still benefit from their insect
eating abilities.
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Avoid directly handling a bat if at all possible, but if you
must, wear gloves. Bats don’t attack humans, and will only bite if they feel
threatened. Although it is extremely rare, bats are a vector species for
rabies, so if you do get bitten by a bat make sure you seek medical attention.
Rabies can only be spread through saliva or contact with the central nervous
system. Rabies cannot be spread through contact with blood, urine, or droppings
(guano).
Bats are an extremely important species for ecosystems and
pest management, but for more information on how to remove them from unwanted
spaces, read Bat Conservation International’s Guide to Safe and
Humane Exclusions.
To learn more about the bats of Iowa, download the Iowa Bats infographic.
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