Bat removal

Elite Pest Control

Bat removal in Montreal and throughout Quebec

Elite Pest Control has been providing excellent pest control services to victims of infestations in Montreal and throughout Quebec for over 10 years. Our commitment to professional and comprehensive service has made us one of the most reputable extermination companies in the province.

If you are experiencing a bat infestation, don’t hesitate to contact us—our technicians will be able to remove them in a cruelty-free way.

Just fill out the contact form on the right for a fast, free quote. Our team of exterminators will intervene quickly, and your bat infestation will be a thing of the past in no time!

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Effective extermination methods

Humane, eco-friendly and effective extermination methods to get rid of mice for good

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Certified and professional team

A team of certified exterminators that guarantees professional and environmentally sustainable work

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24/7 rapid extermination service

Our company offers a fast service 24/7 with extremely reliable extermination methods

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    All about bats

    In Quebec, bats don’t have the best reputation, but appearances can be deceptive.

    Bat facts

    • Taxonomy: Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, the largest order of mammals after rodents. Rodents, bats and humans are all placental mammals. All 8 species of bats found in Quebec belong to the family Vespertilionidae.
    • Lifespan: Most bats live between 15 and 20 years, but some can live up to 30 years.
    • Diet: Bats mostly eat flying insects and fruit. They are great mosquito hunters.
    • Habitat: Bats seek out dark places with stable temperatures, such as caves, cellars, attics and holes in trees. In October, when heat and insects grow scarce, many migrate south or begin hibernation.

    Bats in Quebec

    • Species: There are 8 species of bats in Quebec: the big brown bat, the silver-haired bat, the little brown bat, the northern long-eared bat, the hoary bat, the red bat, the tricoloured bat and the eastern small-footed bat.
    • Situation of concern: The number of bats in the province has been declining in recent years due to a disease called white-nose syndrome. The disease causes bats to use up energy during the harsh Quebec winter, which they usually survive through hibernation.

    How to recognize bats and signs of their presence

    • Characteristics: Bats range from 7 to 15 cm long, depending on the species. Their ears tend to be large compared to the size of their head and eyes and their coat is usually gray or brown.
    • Signs of their presence: Signs of bats include droppings of 1 to 2 cm, white, milky urine stains, squeaks and scratching sounds during the night and traces of grease and dirt in the attic. Specialists will check their shape, ear and fur colour in order to identify the species.

    Bat habits

    • Sociability: These nocturnal mammals can be sociable or solitary. Migratory bats travel alone, while those that stay and hibernate prefer to do so in colonies.
    • Gestation: Bats generally mate in winter, when temperatures are cooler. However, ovulation and fertilization take place in spring, and they give birth in summer. A litter can contain up to 4 pups.
    • Health risks: Bats can carry diseases and pathogens such as rabies and histoplasmosis.

    If you are experiencing a bat infestation, call an exterminator

    Bat infestations are often quite unobtrusive. They are not aggressive to humans and do not pose a direct threat. However, they can cause health hazards and damage your property.

    What damage do bats cause?

    When bats take up residence in your attic or garage, it is usually to hibernate, so they will spend most of their time there. Due to their unobtrusive presence and nocturnal habits, humans don’t always notice the damage they cause.

    Corrosion

    Bats are not intentionally destructive, but their droppings contain acid that erodes many materials such as copper and bronze, as well as stone and concrete binders.

    Guano also contains phosphate, ammonium and potassium. These minerals cause moisture between the cracks and weaken structures over time, leading to structural problems.

    The uric acid contained in guano also has a negative effect on wood. Wood fibres that come into contact with the acid expand and eventually separate, causing the wood to break.

    In some cases, this damage is only material. In others, such as electrical cables, this damage can cause short circuits or worse, fires.

    Stubborn stains

    Bat urine also contains acid that can stain walls and create marks on polished surfaces like glass and marble.

    When bat urine and excrement is left on surfaces for more than a few weeks, even waste removal by a professional pest control service will not be enough to reverse the damage. In such cases, the entire affected surface will need to be repainted or replaced. All the more reason to remain vigilant and call our team at the slightest suspicion of a bat infestation.

    Unpleasant odours

    The accumulation of any pest droppings can result in very unpleasant odours. If guano piles up in the attic, it may damage the insulation, and if not taken care of, the smell can spread throughout the house and become unbearable.

    Part of our bat removal service is assessing the damage they have caused. With our pest decontamination, insulation and caulking services, you can rest easy knowing your home is clean and safe from further infestations.

    Health hazards associated with bats

    In addition to property damage, there are health hazards associated with bats that make it important to act quickly in the event of an infestation. Bats can carry diseases and up to 200 viruses, some of which can be lethal.

    Rabies

    Bats are major carriers of rabies, according to various studies conducted in recent years in North America. These studies have shown that bats can transmit the strain to other animals, which could put humans at risk even if they do not come into contact with a bat.

    Rabies is typically spread through saliva and affects the brain. It is almost always fatal to both animals and people if left untreated.

    In bats, the symptoms of rabies are not visible to the naked eye and the infection can only be confirmed by laboratory tests. Therefore, it is best to exercise caution and never touch a bat. Contact Elite Pest Control for safe removal that will not harm the animal.

    Histoplasmosis

    Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by inhaling fungal spores often found in bat droppings.

    Most people with histoplasmosis never develop symptoms and do not know they are infected. But for some, particularly infants and people with weakened immune systems, the infection can be serious. It causes fever, cough, headaches and muscle pain.

    Fortunately, treatments are available for even the most severe cases of histoplasmosis.

    Filoviruses, particularly dangerous for humans

    According to a 2014 study published in Viruses, tropical bats are reservoir hosts for various filoviruses, including Ebola and Marburg. These types of viruses cause fever and hemorrhaging that are difficult to treat, often resulting in death for those affected.

    Signs of a bat infestation

    Now you know that bats and their urine and guano can be damaging and dangerous. So, how do you recognize an infestation? Here are a few signs to look out for:

    • A pile of feces, often in a corner of the attic
    • Urine stains on the walls of the attic
    • A strong ammonia-like smell (caused by the acidity of the guano)
    • Little squeaks and scratching sounds, particularly at night

    However, these signs aren’t easy to identify. It’s completely normal to be unsure, or to be afraid to check the attic if you think you might have an infestation. In addition to the danger they present, they can look forbidding…

    Not to worry, our experienced technicians have seen it all and can get rid of your pests for good. They offer services in Montreal, the Greater Montreal Area, and throughout the province of Quebec.

    Need help removing bats from your home?

    Elite Pest Control operates throughout Quebec! Fast service 24/7

    How to get rid of bats

    Bats are not the most unpleasant pests, but they can still pose significant problems for your health and the state of your attic. So, how do you get rid of them once and for all?

    A species protected by federal law

    Getting rid of animals in your home does not necessarily mean killing them. Bats are considered endangered and are therefore protected by federal law. It is illegal to kill them, which is just as well, because even though our job is to rid people of pests, we love animals. We fully support the protection of bats in Canada.

    3 species of bats have been particularly affected by white-nose syndrome, so the government has included them in the Species at Risk Act.

    Since bats are protected by law, they must be removed alive. This can be a little complicated, particularly when dealing with an entire colony.

    Our team has the knowledge and expertise required to get rid of bats without hurting them.

    Bat exclusion netting

    The method we recommend is using bat exclusion netting. Once installed, the bats that leave to find food won’t be able to come back in. It’s simple, but effective.

    We recommend using this method during the summer, when the pups are old enough to leave the nest. Otherwise, they may die inside the house after the mother leaves, because she won’t be able to come back through the netting.

    Although a net is enough to keep bats away, their presence leaves traces that will need to be addressed.

    Decontaminating the affected areas

    As mentioned previously, bats are carriers of illnesses like rabies and histoplasmosis, which are dangerous for human health. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—cleaning up after the bats have been removed is strongly recommended. Pest decontamination is an integral part of our extermination services.

    Want more information? We have written a whole article on the importance of decontaminating a room where bat droppings have been found.

    Sealing entry points

    Getting rid of an infestation is great, but how do you make sure that the pests won’t come back? By making it impossible for them to get in, of course! By sealing your home after a bat infestation, you ensure that it won’t recur.

    After decontamination, the entry points must be found and sealed with the correct products at the right time.

    Checking the insulation

    Of course, our work can stop there, but experience has taught us that bats can often damage attic insulation.

    Damaged insulation can cause a host of problems, including energy loss and even legal action for latent defects when your house is sold.

    Once again, Elite Pest Control is here to help—our insulation service can assess the state of your attic and repair the insulation if needed.

    Our exterminators are available in Montreal and throughout Quebec

    Want our team of exterminators to remove bats from your attic? Have questions about our pest control services? It will be our pleasure to answer your questions and resolve your pest problems anywhere in Quebec.

    Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or by filling out the contact form.