I got a call the other day from the realtor that I've done work for in the past. Another bat job.

Whut? Bat job? 2 days before Christmas? What gives?

Well, apparently, they have been seeing bats all summer long but didn't say anything to anybody. Now they have a roof leak and the roofer won't fix it until they get rid of the bats in the attic.

Okay. I already have an issue with this. I've got some roofing experience myself and I don't EVER remember us fixing a leak from INSIDED the attic.

But....Regardless. We had a couple of warm days last week just before Christmas and the bats came out and did what bats do. They tenants saw them and called the realtor. The realtor called me. I went out to check the place on the 23rd. The job won't be bad but here's my question; It is 30 some degrees out there! Should I even be doing an exclusion right now? I know they wont fly until it gets warmer. If I exclude them now, I know that it will be March before I can safely take my excluders down and screen off the holes.

I did speak to the realtor this morning and told her that I wouldn't even consider it without at least putting up a bat house in the back yard. But, will that be sufficient to insure that any bat that comes out before spring doesn't freeze to death in the top of a tree? Will that be enough to cover me from the wrath of the Federal Fish and Game department?

What would y'all do? Anybody else getting bat calls in cold weather?

You bet. And I'm guessing that it's a might bit colder up here in Wisconsin. We haven't been much above freezing all of December. I guess the bats aren't used to this cold either. Usually just a single bat trying to find more warmth. ( Like underneath the covers while you're sleeping )

Justin, if this is any indication, our bats are in great shape in the Midwest. We are working on a new program where we train the excluded bats to go only to houses where the occupants can afford to have them evicted again. We are trying to come up with some kind of incentive program for the bats. Any suggestions?

No bat work in winter time

When you get this figured out you better be putting on a presentation at the WWCOA convention.

What BUD25 said: NO BAT JOBS IN WINTERTIME. You will kill any bats that exit, and have no way of knowing if they've all left until well into Spring.

NO....!!!

Muddawg, My .02 or .05 for you for what its worth.

(Disclaimer - yes I know that many factors play into selling folks on waiting whether we are talking maternity season, or winter, or other reasons why now isn't the best time for bat exclusion. I understand we are in business of solving issues and that we don't always succeed in being able to balance the best for the wildlife with the homeowner, but as an industry I'd like to think we try to make sure folks get the best solution that is also balanced with the wildlife populations we work with.)

Related to this statement - "I know they wont fly until it gets warmer. If I exclude them now, I know that it will be March before I can safely take my excluders down and screen off the holes."

I can't see why this would be a good time of year to start the exclusion because as you stated with only some bats emerging and only on warm up spells you won't be sure they bats are gone till spring, thus the roofer will not begin work.

So if we stop here with this logic, I would convince the folks that the exclusion won't really begin or start till bats become fully active and emerge for spring.

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"I did speak to the realtor this morning and told her that I wouldn't even consider it without at least putting up a bat house in the back yard. But, will that be sufficient to insure that any bat that comes out before spring doesn't freeze to death in the top of a tree? Will that be enough to cover me from the wrath of the Federal Fish and Game department?"

This one is simple bat houses (any on the market commercially) do not hold the same thermal properties as a house does, therefore putting up the bat box while a great conservation tool in the long run, will not result in what so many call us believing it will do. People want to believe they can put up a bat house and it will magically draw bats to it, that they will seek it out because it is a "bat house."

This is far from true, even during the normal active season from spring to fall. Bat houses can be hard to get to establish a colony and this all revolves around a myriad of factors.

So I'd say the answer to this is that it will not solve any of the issues surrounding attempting bat exclusion in winter time. The bats are more likely to try to find a secondary roost which is another home or large structure in the area, or they will freeze when they can't re-enter the home they are one way doored out of during these harsh conditions.

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I can't say 100% they will die, nor can I say they will 100% live, but those who have done this any length of time tend to agree that winter is not bat exclusion season, though people do offer it, most do not.

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"What would y'all do? Anybody else getting bat calls in cold weather?"

I would be trying to convince them the best option is to wait until spring, if I had to I'd be meeting with the roofer to visit about his concerns and where he is working and where the bats are and explaining the myth versus facts. I've had numerous conversations with contractors with similar concerns and 99.9% of them listened and adjusted fire based on our recommendations.

Won't always happen but worth a try to convince them to wait till the better time of year this spring.

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Wink, That sounds like a great program! Lol!

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P.S. Something for all to remember or to know is that winter bat exclusion is something on the table in most states dealing with WNS (white-nose syndrome) as a potential issue within our industry that needs attention. The more we do to show that we are paying attention to the biological aspects of bat populations and trying to promote exclusions during the spring and fall when most appropriate for conservation, the more we will be listened to on other aspects related to bat exclusion and future regulations coming down the line.

Again, I get it, folks need to eat, money is being paid, not everyone can be convinced to wait, however this doesn't mean you have to take the job.

I live and die by my own ethics and whether others adopt them or not is nothing I can control, but my paycheck is one I know I do my best to be sure aligns with logical decisions that combine the homeowner or clients needs with the wildlife biology and conservation need.

Justin

You can seal the INSIDE of the house. I have done this several times. Keep the Bats in the attic until Spring. Hot water heat, with oversize holes, going thru walls with attic access have been the most common entry point. Also look at the chimney chase, air space around the chimney, in the basement. Older houses commonly have these. It is a straight shot from the attic to the basement. Also if there is plumbing in the basement, the sewer vent pipe, will have a square wall around a round pipe.
I have had a couple of scuttle holes that had a gap too. I charge an inspection fee plus some for any repairs I do. Solve their immediate problem and set up to fix the problem. Thinking outside of the box.

I do this on many homes in late fall and during the winter. However, about one in five homes are impossible to do (cost-prohibitive) due to design and/or age. Also usually not possible on large structures like schools and churches. Isolating the bats from the residents in the home is often possible, though on those jobs I never give a 100% effectiveness guarantee.

Sealing work and proper exclusion is then performed in the spring, before the birthing season begins.

This same principle can be applied during the birthing season, especially at homes where people are experiencing frequent bat appearances inside. But again, it's not always possible.

BTW.... In the past 2 weeks I've had 3 calls from people having home renovation work performed and the contractors discovered bats hibernating under the insulation, on top of the ceiling. I've seen this many, many times over the past 15 years or so. Blows the old theory that
"bats leave in the winter" so seal your house while they're gone. Bad advice.

Good points Lundy and Ron. I was thinking in terms of muddawg's question that the roofer was the issue, versus the homeowner getting bats inside the residence (living quarters not attic).

Still great points to cover for this topic.

Also a great point Ron about the advice folks often give about waiting till winter and just going for it. I've got a number of colleagues in the northeastern states who get plenty of calls during the winter months, mostly for big browns now, but sticks the point as you say, that bats are not all leaving in the winter.

Not enough has been done to document and spread the word about the things you mention and that others see routinely. Even here in the desert southwest bats will crawl under the insulation and in between other materials that provide thermal shelter to overwinter.

(on a side note, have also witnessed this during our hot summers, had a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in a church that were not hanging from the rafters or the wood, but rather were beneath the insulation, beneath a layer of tar paper, where the church (old adobe very cold inside) was helping to buffer the extreme temps of the attic during peak of summer)

Good stuff.

Justin

I do winter exclusions,,,, it is most often 1-3 lg brown bats in a structure. The norest comes and they crank up the stove and the bat warms up.... or in the mountain cabin.. the first time they come up to ski,,,,.... The safety of the homeowner and their children is far more important then 2 or three bats IMHO,,,,,,
If you call the local health dept,,,, they will tell you to get shots if you wake up with a bat flying in your room,,,,

pre exposure shots are not without risk

Vinke,we do the same, all winter long. They're not really exclusions because the bats aren't coming and going, but they are removals. If the customer doesn't feel confident in removing the bat himself, well that's what we're here for, isn't it?

Removal of the lone flyer or two or three versus exclusion of the colony definitely two different topics imho.

Totally get the idea of removing the bat who is active inside the living quarters, but then the internal seal (when possible)
is a great plan to keep the colony exclusion till spring activity resumes.

That is pretty much a guaranteed sale when you show up to pick up that lone bat flying around in winter.