Bats will often spend a long time returning to the same roost, either maternity or winter, if they are not kicked out of that space. Barns are usually quite difficult buildings to protect — out of the way of your normal routine, and not posing an immediate enough danger for you to want to take urgent action. This is even more so the case if the barn is well away from your property and, therefore, not really causing any damage.



Bats still pose a problem, sadly; even when they are not anywhere close to your property. Guano might be a good thing to use as a fertilizer, but it is also quite a dangerous substance. Filled with nutrients and also disease threats, the clearing away of bat droppings requires a pretty extensive and time-consuming process, and the more bats you have and the longer you leave them there, the more guano you will need to clear away. Not only that, but the more you will need to repair too. In a barn, bats can cause severe disruption to the structure. Wooden beams, walls, floors, etc., can be corroded away by the high-acidity level of guano and bat urine, and the tow combined can create quite a damp environment too, which will encourage the growth of mould as well as damp and wood rot. There are 3 simple tricks that you can use to keep bats out of barns, but as with all wildlife removal attempts, nothing is every 100% foolproof.

1 - Use a bat box
If you have a large enough patch of land, you could consider using a bat box. This clever device gives the bats an alternative home — one that you don't mind them setting up residence in. They will continue to use that bat box as long as you can get them in there in the first place, leaving your barn alone. You will need to find a way to get those bats out of the barn and into the bat box, but you can attempt to do this with lights and sounds. Making lots of noise might encourage the bats to flee the roost, and if the barn is open and empty enough, you'll see whether or not there are any left. If there are not, you can start to seal the space. If you do a good enough job of sealing it, no bats will get back in your barn. With an alternative home provided for them, they don't really have any need to.

2 - Use exclusion devices
You will need to attach exclusion devices (which can be used in many forms and types) to the holes that the bats most use to get in and out of the barn. Any smaller holes are then sealed, preventing access from either inside or outside. All bats are forced to use the exclusion device-holes if they are hungry and want to find food, and once they're out, they can't get back in again. They will have no choice but to find another place to call home. (Again, you could use the bat box idea.) You can't start using exclusion devices until all bats have been evicted from the barn, including baby bats. Spring and summer are not suitable times for bat exclusion — they will have pups that will die left in the barn alone.

3 - Hire a professional
Most professionals will use exclusion methods to get rid of bats in a barn, but they'll do it the right way, meaning that the job will literally be done and dusted for you. Many professionals will do a complete job — removing the animals, clearing up any waste, and even repairing the damage that the bats might have left behind. They'll also seal up any holes that could potentially lead future bats and other animals into your barn again.

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