How to get rid of bats

Firstly and most importantly, bats and their roosts are protected by law so you should never try to remove a bat from your home yourself.  So, how to get rid of bats?

Bats spend most of the winter hibernating until they wake in April time looking for food in the evenings.  Bats are most active from April to October. By September and October, bats will have mated and will start to build up fat reserves for hibernation in December.

Bats are important to our world because some plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers.

Bats are insect eaters so they also make good pest controllers.

Follow our guide:

1. Do not attempt to capture a bat even if it is injured.
2. Contact the National Bat Helpline.  They are open from May to September (peak season), Monday to Friday from 9.30am-4.30pm.  From 6pm – 10pm there is an Out of Hours Helpline which is run by volunteers and is for emergency calls only.  They are open October to April (non-peak season) from Monday – Friday 9:30am – 4:30pm.
3. If you are having building works carried out in your home, you must stop immediately and contact the National Bat Helpline.
4. Click here for further advice.
5. For guidance on how to help an injured bat click here.

In England, the Bat conservation trust can offer a free visit for homeowners and churches in England to assess the problem.

You may be eligible for a free visit if you meet the following criteria:

• You live in a house or flat.
• If you are carrying out any building works that do not require planning permission.

In Wales, you can contact your local office of Natural Resource.

Further Guides on How to Get Rid of: