Some people believe that bats are attracted to porch lights at night. But is this true?
Are these winged mammals really drawn to the light, or do they just happen to be in the area when you turn on your porch lamp?
Bats are often seen as a nuisance or pest due to their tendency to congregate in large groups close to people’s homes. But are bats actually attracted to porch lights? Do they use the porch light for some sort of guidance, navigation, or communication system?
This blog post will explore what is currently known about bats and whether or not they are attracted to porch lights.
Are Bats Attracted To Porch Lights?
No, bats are not attracted to porch lights they are attracted to the insects that are around your porch light.
Bats are often feared for their association with vampires. For some, they can be scary creatures that one does not want to come across in the dark of night.
However, bats are actually very helpful animals as most species consume insects which helps keep bug populations at bay and prevents damage to crops!
A little-known fact about bats is that porch lights may actually attract certain types of these small mammals.
When bats fly around at night looking for insects to eat, porch lights and other artificial lighting may attract them into people’s homes or porches.
However, according to an article from the University of California – Riverside: “Bat-friendly lighting is designed not to attract insects, so it shouldn’t attract bats either.
The aim of providing this kind of light is to create a safe place for people and bats by deterring harmful behavior without harming the animals.
If you are concerned about attracting insects when trying to keep them away from your house or garden, use lights that attract fewer flying insects, such as yellow bug lights.”
Are Bats Dangerous?
Bats can be very dangerous. They are one of the most common carriers for rabies and carry diseases like Ebola or Zika virus.
However, it is important not to fear all bats; there are actually some species that help humans out by eating insects instead!
For example, fruit-eating bats can decrease crop damage done by harmful bugs that eat plants (like beetles). Bats also pollinate flowers as they travel from plant to plant at night looking for food.
Although these beneficial aspects make up only .01 percent of bat species in North America alone, this should still influence how we treat them.
All too often porch lights attract both helpful and unwanted species of bats.
Bats are very sensitive to light, especially ultraviolet light which is emitted by porch lights at night.
Unfortunately, this means that they will be more likely to come near your home if you have a glowing porchlight on it!
This should not make humans fear all bats; again, there are many species of helpful fruit-eating bats who hunt insects at night and pass along pollen as they travel from plant to plant looking for food.
Bats can help decrease crop damage done by harmful bugs such as beetles and pollinate flowers as they fly past during the dark hours of the evening in search of their next meal.
How Do You Get Rid Of Bats On A Porch?
If you have a bat infestation on your porch, it is important to get rid of them as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Bats can be frightening for people who don’t know much about the animals because they are often viewed in a negative light due to their association with rabies and other diseases.
However, bats play an important role in keeping pests such as mosquitoes at bay so allowing them to roost on your home may actually be beneficial overall – if you remove them safely without harm coming to either party!
Tips For Removing Bats From Your Porch:
The following tips will help you deal with any issues that arise when removing bats from your porch or property:
1. Keep Porch Lights On
Bats don’t seem to like light, and you can take advantage of this fact. Using your porch light to deter bats from coming around could be a good idea.
Keeping the porch lights on at night has proven to be effective in keeping bats away for some people. The bats will be disturbed, and they will be unable to sleep as a result.
The porch will no longer be a suitable roosting location for them. The bats will be less likely to stay if you have the porch lights turned on.
2. Use Bat Repellent
One of the best methods to get rid of bats on a porch is using bat repellent spray. There are a variety of bat repellents available on the market that you can investigate.
Some of the bat repellents on the market are made with natural ingredients that bats find unpleasant. Others will be chemical-based sprays aimed at preventing bats from entering the area.
View The Latest Bat Repellents On Amazon
Repellents made with natural ingredients will be more effective in a variety of ways. You won’t have to be concerned about them harming any plants that may be growing near your porch.
3. Fix Holes And Cracks
Bats are very good at making homes for themselves inside cracks and holes, so repairing them is a good idea. You may have cracks on the top of your porch or in the areas around it that need to be repaired.
Bats are primarily looking for dark areas where they can hide from predators. They might be able to roost inside cracks or holes near the porch if they can’t roost at the top of your porch.
By caulking the cracks, you can prevent them from becoming a problem. You should be able to seal any cracks or holes you find on the porch or near your house with a little effort.
4. Install Bat Nets
Bat nets can also be used to prevent bats from using your porch as a roosting location. Essentially, the net will cover the area where bats would enter your porch, preventing them from doing so.
Bats will get tangled in the nets because the holes are too small for them to fly through. The bats will be confused and scared, and they will try to flee. You can simply place these bat nets in areas where bats are roosting to prevent them from roosting.
They generally assist homeowners in preventing bats from having easy access to many of the most common places where they will attempt to enter.
When installing a bat net, it is recommended that it be hung a few inches above the entry point. The bats must be able to exit at the bottom.
The bats aren’t smart enough to realize they can get back in by flying under the net’s bottom. They become too perplexed by it and will simply find a more convenient place to roost.
The majority of popular bat nets on the market are made of polyethylene and will last for a long time. They’re UV-resistant and should do a good job of assisting you in keeping the bat situation under control.
The only disadvantage of using nets is that they will alter the aesthetic appeal of your home. Some people think the nets are unsightly, but it’s up to you to decide whether or not they’re worth using.
However, these nets can also be useful in keeping birds away from your porch. If you’re also concerned about pesky birds like pigeons, then using nets is a good idea.
5. Use Bat Houses
If you have enough space on your property, you could keep the bats away from your porch by providing them with another place to go. The basic idea is that they will be more likely to use a bat house on your property than your porch.
Bat houses are ideal roosting areas for bats, where they can hide and sleep. They can stay safe from predators in the houses, and it’s very dark, which is exactly what they prefer.
View The Latest Bat Houses On Amazon
Some may think this is an odd idea, especially since the goal is to get rid of the bats. However, it stands to reason that using a bat house will keep bats away from the areas of your property that you actually use.
Some people understand that bats can be quite beneficial to the environment. They keep mosquito populations in check and don’t bother humans in general.
Building a bat house is also going to be fairly simple. You can buy kits that include everything you need to build a basic bat house.
6. Remove Food Sources
Bats will be less likely to congregate near your home if there aren’t as many food sources nearby. Bats will primarily consume insects as well as various types of fruit.
Bats can eat a variety of foods, some of which may be specific to certain bat species. It’s a good idea to figure out what kind of bat you have on your porch so you can do some research.
The type of bats you’re seeing around your property is most likely feeding on both insects and bats. If you can reduce the amount of food available to the bats in the area, they may leave in search of a better place.
If bats are feeding on the fruit that certain bushes and trees drop, you may want to stop growing them. To limit food access, you could at the very least try to harvest the fruit and clean up any fruit that falls onto the ground.
You could also take precautions to keep insects like mosquitoes out of your yard. Mosquito repellents such as citronella candles have been known to work, and it may be worthwhile to experiment with other repellents as well.
Moths and beetles are two other insects that appear to attract bats. If you can do something to reduce the number of bugs in your yard, the bats will have less to eat.
7. Electronic Bat Repellent Devices
Buying an ultrasonic repellent device is one of the most practical ways to help solve a bat problem on your porch. There are ultrasonic repellent devices on the market that emit sounds that human ears cannot hear.
These sounds will annoy and possibly even scare the bats. They are emitted at the same frequency at which bats communicate and navigate.
View The Latest Bat Repellent Ultrasonic On Amazon
There are various types of devices that will function in various ways. Some bat repellent sound devices have multiple settings, while others only have one.
If you intend to use it indoors, you can find one that plugs directly into a power outlet. However, many people prefer to use the outdoor ones to keep bats away from their porches.
Fortunately, outdoor ultrasonic repellent devices are frequently solar in nature. Simply staking them into the ground will keep them powered by the sun.
8. Do Not Disturb
Do not disturb the location of bats. Many people do this with good intent, thinking that they are doing something to help out the family of flying creatures living underneath their porch.
However, if you clean off an area where a colony lives, it may just lead them elsewhere in your home or on your property.
9. Use A Pest Control
It should come as no surprise that many people will choose to hire professionals to handle their problems. You could contact a local pest control company that has experience dealing with bats.
Companies like this will frequently come out to help people get bats out of their attics. They can also assist you in getting bats out of porches, barns, and other structures on your property.
If you’re worried or feel like you’re in over your head, it’s a good idea to consider calling for help. Some people are afraid of bats and will avoid getting too close to them, but professional pest control specialists will not have this problem.
Will Keeping Lights On Keep Bats Away?
Keeping lights on at night might actually be attracting more flying insects that will attract more bats to your porch.
Although this might not seem like a big deal, bats are the primary carrier of rabies in North America and they also eat insects that can damage crops or spread disease.
Studies show when bat habitats are disrupted by light pollution their numbers decline rapidly!
This means fewer bats around for you to have to worry about them carrying diseases or eating bugs near your home’s exterior!
How Do I Keep Bats From Hanging Under My Porch Roof?
If you have bats hanging under your porch roof, here are some things that you can do to keep them from returning.
Bats need a rough surface to hang out on. Consider adding Plexiglas or another smooth substance to the usual roosting location.
A well-placed obstacle, such as wind chimes, sometimes does the job. If this doesn’t work, you may need to add a netting under the porch roof.
How To Clean Up Bat Poop From A Proch?
There are a few ways that you can try to clean up bat poop from your home. One method is by using a mixture of water and bleach but only use the bleach on hard surfaces such as flooring or countertops.
In addition, make sure to always wear rubber gloves when cleaning anything with this solution as it could cause serious damage if absorbed through the skin.
It’s also important not to mix any other cleaners with the bleach because they could produce toxic gases which will be dangerous for both people and animals alike.
As an alternative method for removing bat feces from your porch, there are special sprays available in stores that claim that they can help eliminate odors caused by bats leaving waste behind within walls.
Lastly, another idea would be to use wet vacuums to suck up the waste or any debris that has fallen on your floor.
Conclusion
The answer is yes. Bats are attracted to porch lights at night, and this has everything to do with the way their brains work.
The light reflects off objects in front of them, which they can’t see because their eyesight isn’t as good as ours during the daytime.
This means that a bat’s echolocation system becomes more effective at detecting insects when it flies towards a porch light on a dark night.
And while some people might be afraid of bats outside or near windows, you’ll never have any issues if your home is properly sealed from drafts and other openings where bats could enter!
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