by Rita Mcconnell

Created on: January 07, 2009   Last Updated: May 19, 2011

Where ever the human aversion to bats originated, it's fairly embedded in most cultures. Discovering one in your home is never a pleasant experience. In fact, it's down right creepy.

That's too bad, as bats are quite useful creatures. Without them, there would certainly be more insects, likely making insect-carried disease more prevalent. Bats are prime predators of crop pests as well, a role that saves farmers money and allows them to use less pesticide. Also, many gardeners swear by the use of bat guano (droppings) as fertilizer; it's been used around the globe for centuries. Some bats fertilize plants, and some tropical foliage is completely dependent on them.

But, even though they are useful creatures, bats and humans probably shouldn't be living together. Bats are natural carries of pathogens, including rabies. Bat guano is hazardous to humans if not handled properly, and large quantities are considered hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency.

For those who've discovered bats roosting in their homes, there are a few things to know.

First, ridding your home of a bat is one thing. But exterminating more than one, or a colony, is something completely different. Bats are a protected species. Killing one may be forgivable, but exterminating a colony can be punishable by law.

If you find a single bat in your home, it's likely a youngster lost from its colony looking for a way out. Avoid contact with it or trying to catch it. Turn off the lights in your home and open a door to the outside. The bat will soon find it way outside. If not, wait until it lands, and place a small box over it. Slip a piece of cardboard between the box and the surface where the bat is located and release it outdoors.

You may want to check around your home semi-annually, particularly near the eaves of your roof, and soffit and fascia for potential entry points, and secure them if you are sure there are no bats already in your home. Seal even the smallest spaces; bats have pliable bodies that allow them to slip in where you think they could never fit. Such entry points are common in all homes, particularly older ones.

Next, if you suspect bats have moved in on you, check logical roosting places during the day. Look into the reaches of attics, crawl spaces and secluded areas with a flashlight for resting bats. Or, sit outside your home at dusk, and watch your roof for exiting bats, and count how many you see. Once you're sure they're freeloading, get your phone book and begin

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