The most common signs you have a bat problem include..

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There are bat species that live in Peterborough area homes. The Big Brown Bat and the Little Brown Bat.

The two species are very similar in appearance and can be difficult for homeowners to tell apart.

However understanding which species is present can help determine where the bats are likely to be roosting, how they are using the structure, and what exclusion methods will be most effective.

Click the button below to learn how to identify Ontario’s two most common house-dwelling bats.

Little Brown Bats in Peterborough, Ontario

Although big brown bats are responsible for many of the residential bat calls we receive within the Peterborough area itself, little brown bats are again becoming one of the most common bat species found in homes, cottages, and rural properties throughout the surrounding region. Unlike big brown bats, which generally live in relatively small colonies, little brown bats are capable of forming large maternity colonies that can eventually grow into the hundreds or even thousands of individuals.

For many years, little brown bats were responsible for a significant percentage of the serious bat infestations we encountered throughout Peterborough and the surrounding countryside. Large attic colonies were once a regular occurrence in both year-round homes and seasonal cottages. That changed dramatically after the arrival of White-nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that spread across Ontario and caused catastrophic declines in little brown bat populations. By approximately 2013, the species had become far less common, and the large attic colonies that homeowners once regularly encountered had largely disappeared.

Over the last several years, however, there have been increasing signs that little brown bats are making a comeback. We are receiving more calls involving larger colonies, and many of the infestations we investigate today resemble the types of problems that were common before White-nose Syndrome devastated the species. While this recovery is positive from a conservation standpoint, it also means that homeowners may once again face the challenges, costs, and potential health concerns associated with large bat colonies living inside residential structures.

From our perspective, the recovery of little brown bats has been especially noticeable around Rice Lake and the numerous lakes north of Peterborough. We are seeing more calls involving larger colonies than we did a decade ago, particularly at cottages, seasonal properties, and rural homes located near water. Before White-nose Syndrome, these areas were well known for supporting large little brown bat populations, and many of the infestations we encounter today are beginning to resemble those we commonly saw before the species experienced its dramatic decline.

During the first twenty years of my thirty-five-year career, some of the most severe infestations we encountered involved little brown bats. In some cases, homes contained hundreds or even thousands of bats occupying attics, walls, and roof systems. Over time, these colonies produced large accumulations of guano and urine that contaminated insulation, stained structural materials, created persistent odours, and often required extensive cleanup and restoration work. These infestations were far more than a simple nuisance problem. Large colonies also created legitimate health concerns, including potential rabies exposure through direct contact with bats and the risk of histoplasmosis associated with disturbing significant accumulations of bat guano.

The financial impact of a major infestation can be substantial. In some cases, the combined costs of exclusion, guano removal, insulation replacement, decontamination, and repairs reached tens of thousands of dollars. It was not uncommon for cleanup and restoration costs to exceed the cost of the exclusion itself.

Little brown bats are currently listed as an endangered species under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act.

Because of their protected status, exclusions involving little brown bats must be completed in accordance with applicable wildlife protection requirements and seasonal restrictions. The goal is to safely and humanely remove the colony while ensuring the structure is properly bat-proofed against future re-entry.

For homeowners in the Peterborough area, the best time to deal with a bat problem is while the colony is still relatively small. A handful of bats today can eventually become a much larger colony as females return year after year and raise successive generations of young within the structure. Early intervention can help minimize damage, reduce future cleanup costs, and prevent a relatively minor bat problem from becoming a major exclusion and restoration project.

How Do We Solve the Problem? Bat Control Explained.

The only proven solution to a residential bat problem is to properly bat-proof the structure and humanely exclude the bats. Nothing else provides a permanent fix. This is true whether you are dealing with a single bat appearing inside the home or a large colony living in the attic. Despite this, many homeowners first try inexpensive gadgets, ultrasonic devices, repellents, or home remedies in the hope of solving the problem themselves. Unfortunately, these approaches almost always fail because they do not address the openings that allow bats to enter the structure in the first place.

Common examples include:

Bat-houses. Ultrasonic repellers. Bright lights. Mothballs. Scented oils and spray repellents

Unfortunately, none of these methods will remove bats from a building.

Authentic Bat Removal Explained

The only humane and effective way to remove bats from a home is through exclusion.

Exclusion involves installing specially designed one-way bat excluders over the bats’ primary entry and exit points. These devices allow bats to leave naturally but prevent them from getting back inside.

Once all bats have exited, the exclusion devices are removed and the remaining openings are permanently sealed. When performed correctly, exclusion removes the bats without harming them and prevents them from returning.

Here are ours.

Designed by us and built by us, our custom aluminum bat excluders are engineered specifically for safe and effective bat removal.

Unlike mesh excluders, they contain no sharp edges, loose fibres, or materials that can trap bats. Their rigid aluminum construction is weather-resistant, chew-proof, and built to withstand years of exposure to the elements.

Most importantly, they allow bats to leave safely and naturally while preventing them from re-entering the structure.

Because effective bat exclusion is too important to trust to improvised materials, we use our own professionally designed excluders that are durable, humane, and proven in the field.

We have the right bat excluder for every situation. Designed by us, built by us and field-tested on thousands of Ontario homes.

Over the years, we have developed a variety of custom exclusion devices to handle the many different entry points found on homes and buildings. Whether bats are entering through soffits, fascia, brickwork, roof intersections, chimneys, vents, or other hard-to-access areas, we have an exclusion system designed for the job.

Every structure is different, and effective bat removal requires using the right excluder in the right location. That’s why we don’t rely on one-size-fits-all solutions. We select and install the exclusion device that best matches the building, the entry point, and the behaviour of the bats using it.

Unlike the cheap plastic excluders often used by non-specialists, our custom aluminum bat excluders will not become brittle, crack, or deteriorate after prolonged exposure to the elements.

Our aluminum bat excluders are impervious to both rodent damage and UV deterioration.

Mesh excluders used by non specialists can become death traps

Many inexperienced wildlife control companies build inexpensive bat excluders from mesh. Unfortunately, the results can be disastrous.

Bats can become caught on sharp edges or burrs in the mesh, suffer injuries while attempting to regain access, or become completely trapped inside improperly designed exclusion devices. In some cases, these shortcuts can result in unnecessary bat deaths and create additional problems for the homeowner.

Our properly designed bat excluders allow bats to leave safely and naturally while preventing them from re-entering the structure. Effective bat exclusion requires more than simply covering a hole with a cheap excluder—it requires an understanding of bat behaviour, building construction, and proper exclusion techniques.

No bat will become stuck in our excluders!

Safe & effective bat exclusion is an art. But it’s only the first step.

The second part of successful bat control is prevention. Bat-excluders cannot work without proper bat-proofing. Unless you want to play a game of whack-a-mole with your resident bats, the entire structure must be secured as well.

Unfortunately, home builders are not designing houses with small animals such as bats and mice in mind. The average home contains hundreds, if not thousands, of potential wildlife entry points. Identifying and sealing these openings is essential before any bat exclusion devices are installed. Otherwise, the bats will simply find another way into the structure.

“Bat control is 1% exclusion & 99% prevention work.”

Benjamin Vaughan. Founder Bat Control Specialists

Prevention work includes much more than simply sealing a few holes. It often involves caulking and sealing gaps throughout the structure using several different types of sealants, modifying roof vents, chimney systems, and other building components, fabricating custom flashings, and repairing roofing, siding, soffits, and fascia.

The challenge is that all of this work must be completed without interfering with the normal function of the building. Roof vents must continue to ventilate, chimneys must continue to vent safely, and water drainage systems must continue to work properly. At the same time, the structure must be secured against bats, squirrels, raccoons, mice, and other wildlife.

When attempting to exclude a resident bat colony, it is important to remember that the bats will actively try to regain access. In their minds, the building is home. If even a single usable opening is overlooked, they will eventually find it. Successful bat exclusion requires identifying and securing every potential re-entry point before the bats are permanently locked out.

Bat guano cleanup.

Many homeowners are surprised to learn that properly cleaning up after a large bat colony can be every bit as challenging and expensive as excluding the bats themselves. Large guano cleanup projects often require specialized HEPA-filtered vacuums, negative air machines, protective suits, and respiratory equipment similar to that used in the asbestos abatement industry. In severe cases, contaminated materials must be removed directly through the roof rather than carried through the living areas of the home. Insulation replacement is frequently necessary, adding significantly to the overall cost of the project. Attempting to clean up large accumulations of bat guano with ordinary shop vacuums, household vacuum cleaners, or simple dust masks can be dangerous due to the potential presence of Histoplasma, a fungus that can grow in large accumulations of bat droppings and become airborne when disturbed.

After the bats are gone

Is guano abatement required?

Fortunately, not every bat infestation requires extensive cleanup. Big brown bats, the species most commonly found in Ontario homes today, typically live in much smaller colonies than little brown bats historically did. In many cases, a small colony of big brown bats leaves behind only modest amounts of guano. If the bats have been properly excluded, the home has been thoroughly bat-proofed, the attic is not used for storage, and there are no mechanical systems that require regular servicing in the affected area, cleanup may not always be necessary. Every situation is different, but the goal is to match the cleanup effort to the actual level of contamination rather than automatically assuming that every attic requires a major abatement project.

Case Study. Learn How We Solved a Bat Problem in A Home

Check out our YouTube channels for lots of great videos about bat problems