Bat Droppings on Porch – What to Do to Stop the Bats
Bat poop is an annoying and harmful consequence of living with bats. The animals may occasionally dump their guano all over your porch, emitting a nasty smell within your residence.
Besides, medical experts consider excrement as a potential breeding ground for spores and other harmful pathogens that could negatively affect those living within your home.
What do bat droppings look like
There is a tendency to mistake bat guano for mice droppings owing to their small size and smell. However, it’s easy to tell bat droppings from the droppings of other small mammals by considering a few key characteristics.
Bat guano almost looks like a small rugby ball with oval edges (where one edge is more pointed than the other). The excrement has a coarse texture, is glittery, and averages 8 mm-11 mm in length. The width ranges from 3.5 mm-4 mm though the actual dimensions may vary depending on the bat species.
You can find the animals’ guano in chimney holes, along cracks, ceilings, and other areas where bats often roost. If left unattended, the droppings exhibit a distinctly pungent smell that can linger on for days.
The concentration of bat droppings depends on the size of the colony and the length of stay. If you find copious amounts of animal droppings in your living space, it is likely either that there is a large colony of animals living within your premises or that the animals have lived there for quite some time.
Why are there bat droppings on my porch?
A primary reason you have bat droppings on your porch could be that bats utilize the location as a resting/roosting ground.
Bats poop when they rest, so if you occasionally find the animals’ droppings on your premises, the animals have likely made your porch their favorite sleeping location.
How to stop bats from pooping on your porch?
The simplest way to prevent bats from pooping on your porch is to keep them off the surface. There are numerous reasons why bats keep roosting on your residence. It mostly has to do with safety, food, and access to an ideal roosting site.
It’s always a good idea to take proactive measures when dealing with bat poop.
Some of the best strategies to keep bats from pooping on your porch include:
Find and disrupt their primary roosting spot.
Bats will often find one spot and hurdle together in small, medium to large colonies to keep warm (and for safety reasons). Identifying the roosting location of the creatures should be a top priority for any homeowner facing the challenge of bat poop on their porch.
Bat guano is a tell-tale indicator that bats could be living within your home. Bats tend to leave guano at the entrance of their roosting spots. If you find bat poop on your porch, the odds are that you could be harboring a colony of the nocturnal creatures close to your home.
You can start by checking your attic. Bats will rest in dark unoccupied spaces for a considerable time. Attics are ideal places for bats to roost and move without attracting attention since most people rarely visit the confined space.
You can also check for cracks, crevices, and other spaces large enough to hold a bat within the vicinity of the droppings. It’s best to search for the location during the day when the creatures are resting. After identifying the spot correctly, it becomes easier to make their stay as uncomfortable as possible.
Installing a bat house
A bat house is a more considerate way of dealing with bats. The main idea is to offer the creatures an alternative living space to dissuade them from pooping on your porch.
Bat houses are simple structures that can hold several animals at a time. In most cases, wood structures mount on poles or high among the branches. A good bat house should be secluded, dark, and close to the animals’ food source.
Bats are helpful when dealing with mosquitoes, beetles, and other insects that could negatively affect the quality of your life. Instead of eradicating the creatures, it’s much more effective to provide the animals with an alternative home where you don’t have to deal with the problem of guano on your porch.
Use homemade remedies to ward off bats.
You can use several homemade remedies to ward off bats roosting on your porch. An effective strategy includes using potent plant oils such as eucalyptus, cinnamon, and peppermint to ward off the creatures and keep them from using your porch as a roosting ground.
Bats dislike strong scents and typically avoid locations with strong odors. You can start by spraying a eucalyptus oil/water concoction to your porch every night/morning to discourage the animals from choosing your porch as their roosting ground. Spraying at night is better because the creatures are actively hunting (far away from their resting locations).
Homemade remedies provide a cost-effective solution to the problem. Repeat the routine for a few days (1-2 weeks) and regularly inspect your porch for results. In case homemade remedies don’t work, an ultrasonic repellent might be just what you need to keep the creatures from returning to your yard.
Use/Install porch lights
Porch lights are an effective bat deterrent. In the event of a bat infestation, it’s vital to keep your porch lights on at night/early morning.
Make sure to illuminate dark sections of your deck to dissuade the animals from roosting on your residence. A bat that feels uncomfortable will generally move on to find a better roosting place.
Make your home inaccessible to bats/Use plexiglass
Plexiglas is a durable plastic compound that has a variety of uses. You can use plexiglass coatings/sheets to discourage bats from roosting on your deck (and pooping all over the place).
The smooth plexiglass surface makes it practically impossible for bats to catch a grip on your porch surface. Bats typically hang upside down using their feet for grounding. If a bat cannot attach itself to the porch surface, it will most likely move on in search of a better location.
Although plexiglass might have some level of investment (costs range from $10-$30 per square foot), the product provides a long-lasting solution to the bat menace on your living space.
Hire a specialist
You can always hire a professional to help you deal with bats on your terrace. Most professionals have experience dealing with such cases (and can readily help you eradicate the animals from your home).
Besides, bat poop is not pleasant to clean. In some cases, it might require special chemicals to remove the stains and odor (which might linger even after the bats are long gone). You can hire bat specialists from online platforms or by considering those working within your area.
Most professionals charge between $300-$600 depending on the task, area labor regulations, etc.
What to do when you find bat droppings?
It’s vital to clean the space affected by bat droppings as soon as you notice the excrement. Bat droppings can pose a significant health hazard for kids, pets, and adults who may unknowingly bring them into the house.
It is also necessary to wear protective clothing such as latex gloves when collecting droppings and to disinfect surfaces when cleaning them.
