Pest Experts Matthew S. Hess and Michael Sizemore – 06/08/2025
It’s interesting to watch bats fluttering across a Kentucky twilight sky — at least at a safe distance! But when they make their way into your attic, crawl space, eaves, or especially your living room, they quickly lose their appeal and become evil agents of death that must be eliminated! At least, that’s how we feel!
Despite their scary appearance and the stigma associated with them, bats actually serve a vital role within our ecosystem as natural pest controllers. Believe it or not, these tiny critters can munch through thousands of insects in just one night, mosquitoes included! So, their presence nearby could mean fewer mosquito bites for you. But once they decide your home is their new hangout, it’s definitely time to take action!
In Kentucky, it’s not uncommon to find bats making themselves comfortable in our homes, especially with the mix of open fields and wooded areas close to residential neighborhoods. This can lead to some serious concerns, like the health risks posed by their droppings or the potential for rabies. That’s why it’s so important to keep your family safe and ensure those bats stay outside where they belong.
Bats don’t want to bother you. They’re simply seeking a roosting site, a safe, warm, dark place to sleep during the day and raise their young. Your attic, gable vent, soffit, or even chimney can mimic their natural cave environments, making them the perfect spot for a colony to settle in unnoticed.
Bat infestations often go undetected for months, or even years, because these mammals are nocturnal and disturbingly quiet. By the time you hear faint squeaking or notice piles of guano (bat droppings), the colony is already well-established.
There are 16 species of bats in Kentucky, but only a few regularly find their way into homes. Here are the top culprits:
While these bats are not aggressive and rarely bite, they bring serious health and structural risks when roosting indoors.
Bat guano isn’t just smelly, it’s hazardous. Over time, it can build up in insulation, rafters, and wall cavities, producing ammonia fumes and attracting fungal spores like Histoplasma capsulatum, which causes histoplasmosis, a potentially serious respiratory illness in humans.
Bat roosts can harbor ectoparasites such as bat bugs, which are closely related to bed bugs and may migrate into your living space in search of a blood meal once the bats are removed.
Bats can carry rabies, and any physical contact with a bat should be taken seriously. In Kentucky, it is estimated that around 6% of bats carry rabies. Although this number is low, if you have 100 bats in your attic, six may be infected. Put into this perspective, 6% is a high number! The CDC recommends professional intervention for any suspected bat exposure.
Bats don’t chew like rodents, but their guano is corrosive. Over time, it can damage wood, drywall, and even electrical wiring, not to mention the smell that can permeate your home.
Kentucky bats are protected by law. That means they cannot be killed, trapped, or relocated during certain seasons, especially maternity season (typically May through August) when flightless pups are present. The only legal and humane method is exclusion. Exclusion includes:
This is precision work. A poor exclusion job can trap bats inside, separate mothers from their pups, or drive bats into new parts of your home, making the situation even worse. DIY Exclusions are not recommended, are dangerous, and rarely work.
At Four Seasons Pest Solutions, we bring a blend of biological knowledge, years of field experience, and deep respect for Kentucky’s native wildlife. Our exclusion specialists understand bat biology, including their breeding cycles, migration habits, and preferred roosting behaviors.
We don’t just kick bats out; we create a permanent, bat-proof barrier that protects your home while preserving bat populations where they belong: outdoors, where they can keep the mosquito population in check.
Exclusion is not a weekend project. Improper techniques can:
Please leave it to the pros who know when and how to act, and who care about your home, your family, and our important bat population.
If you suspect bats are roosting in your attic, don’t wait. The longer you delay, the worse the contamination becomes, and the harder it is to clean up.
📞 Call Four Seasons Pest Solutions today for a comprehensive bat inspection and exclusion plan. We’re humane, legal, and effective. Let us help you reclaim your atti, and give Kentucky’s bats a better place to call home!
And remember, it’s okay to live among pests… but you don’t have to live with them!
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