Memphis Bat Removal & Humane Bat Exclusion
Memphis bat removal requires more than removing the bats that can be seen. When bats establish a roost in a home, commercial building, school, healthcare facility or other structure, the building must be inspected to determine where the bats are entering, active roosts must be excluded appropriately, and structural openings must be sealed to reduce the chance of re-entry.
United Bat Control has specialized in professional bat removal and exclusion since 1998. We provide humane bat-control services for residential, commercial and institutional properties in Memphis and throughout the United States. Our work focuses on exclusion and structural bat-proofing rather than harming bats.
If you are seeing bats emerge from a Memphis building, hearing activity in an attic or wall, finding guano or repeatedly discovering bats indoors, call 866-747-2287.
Why Bats Get Into Memphis Homes and Buildings
Bats naturally seek protected locations for daytime roosting, raising young and seasonal shelter. Buildings can provide many of the same conditions bats otherwise find in hollow trees, caves, rock crevices and other natural roosts.
Potential entry points include gaps along roof edges, soffits, fascia, flashing, siding, vents, chimneys, louvers and construction joints. Older buildings, additions and complex roof systems may contain multiple small openings that are difficult to see from ground level.
This is why professional bat exclusion and structural bat-proofing focuses on the entire building rather than simply sealing the first visible opening.
Bats Found in Tennessee and the Memphis Area
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency information identifies a variety of bat species throughout the state. Several species can use buildings or other human-made structures for roosting.
The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) occurs statewide in Tennessee and is identified by TWRA as the bat species most likely to inhabit man-made structures. Females may establish nursery colonies in attics, chimneys, lofts and other protected spaces.
The southeastern bat (Myotis austroriparius) occurs primarily in western Tennessee and may roost in buildings, hollow trees, caves and other structures.
The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) also occurs in Tennessee and may use undisturbed portions of buildings, including attics, during spring and summer.
Species identification can be useful when evaluating roosting behavior, seasonal activity and the appropriate exclusion approach.
Signs Bats May Be Living in Your Memphis Property
A bat colony can remain hidden inside an attic, wall cavity or roof system before anyone actually sees a bat in an occupied room. Signs that warrant closer inspection include:
- Bats repeatedly emerging from the same portion of the building around dusk.
- Bat droppings beneath an exterior opening, along a wall or inside an attic.
- Dark staining or rub marks around openings being used by bats.
- Chirping, scratching or movement inside walls, ceilings or attic spaces.
- Persistent odors associated with accumulated guano and urine.
- Bats repeatedly appearing inside occupied portions of the building.
One bat inside a building does not automatically mean a colony is present. Repeated activity, accumulated droppings or bats consistently emerging from the same exterior opening are stronger indications of an established roost.
Professional Memphis Bat Removal Is a Structural Exclusion Project
A lasting solution involves more than capturing individual bats. When a colony is using a building, professional exclusion is designed to allow the bats to leave while preventing them from getting back inside.
A United Bat Control exclusion project may include:
- Inspection and Assessment: Examine the roofline, exterior surfaces, attic and other accessible areas for bat activity and possible entry points.
- Locate Active Openings: Determine which gaps bats are currently using to enter and exit.
- Identify Secondary Openings: Find other gaps that could become alternate entrances after the primary opening is addressed.
- Seal Inactive Openings: Close secondary gaps using materials appropriate for the building.
- Install One-Way Exclusion Devices: Allow bats to leave active roost openings without allowing them to return.
- Allow the Colony to Exit: Leave exclusion devices in place for an appropriate period under suitable conditions.
- Complete Final Bat-Proofing: Permanently close active entry points after the bats have departed.
- Evaluate Guano and Contamination: Determine whether accumulated droppings or affected materials require additional cleanup.
- Follow Up: Confirm that the exclusion is working and address conditions specific to the property.
Why the Bat Entrance Should Not Simply Be Sealed
If bats remain inside, immediately sealing an active entrance can trap them in an attic, roof system or wall cavity. Trapped bats may move farther into the structure and sometimes enter occupied rooms while searching for another exit.
The normal exclusion approach is to secure secondary openings while maintaining a controlled one-way exit at the active roost opening. After the bats have departed, the remaining opening can be permanently sealed.
Tennessee Bat Exclusion Requirements
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regulates professional nuisance-wildlife work involving bats. TWRA states that Animal Damage Control operators must obtain approval before performing bat exclusion work and provide information concerning the species, approximate number of bats and whether young bats are present.
TWRA also cautions that young animals may be present during the spring and advises making sure animals have exited before entry points are closed.
This is especially important with maternity colonies. Young bats cannot initially fly, so excluding adult bats while dependent young remain inside can create additional problems within the building.
Residential Bat Removal in Memphis
Residential bat problems frequently involve attics, roof intersections, chimneys, vents, soffits, fascia, siding and wall cavities. A home can contain numerous potential access points, so correcting only the most obvious opening may not resolve the problem.
United Bat Control provides residential bat removal and exclusion for homeowners dealing with bats in attics, walls, chimneys and occupied rooms.
The objective is to correct the structural conditions allowing bats to use the building rather than simply remove the animals that happen to be visible today.
Commercial Bat Removal in Memphis
Commercial bat exclusion can be substantially more complicated than work on a typical home. Warehouses, distribution facilities, apartment and multi-unit properties, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, retail properties and other large structures may contain extensive rooflines and numerous possible entry points.
Large projects may also require exclusion work to be coordinated around employees, customers, tenants, equipment and normal facility operations.
United Bat Control provides commercial and industrial bat removal for properties requiring a building-wide approach to inspection, exclusion and prevention.
Bat Removal for Memphis Schools and Universities
A bat appearing in a classroom, auditorium, gymnasium, office or other occupied educational space presents concerns beyond the individual animal. Large school and campus buildings may contain interconnected attics, roof spaces, mechanical areas and wall cavities that make it difficult to determine where the bat originated.
United Bat Control provides specialized bat removal and exclusion for schools and universities, including large and complex facilities where work may need to be coordinated with administrators and facility management.
Bat Removal for Memphis Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals, medical offices, assisted-living facilities and other healthcare properties may require additional planning because patient and treatment areas must remain protected while the source of bat entry is investigated.
United Bat Control provides bat removal and exclusion for healthcare facilities, including complex structures where exclusion work may require coordination with facility management.
Bat Guano and Histoplasmosis
Memphis is located in the Mississippi River region, an area where the fungus that causes histoplasmosis is known to occur in the environment.
Histoplasmosis is caused by breathing in spores from the fungus Histoplasma. CDC states that the fungus grows especially well in soil and other environmental material containing large amounts of bird or bat droppings.
Disturbing contaminated material can release fungal spores into the air. The presence of bat droppings does not automatically establish that Histoplasma is present, but large accumulations should be approached carefully rather than swept or vacuumed without evaluating the conditions.
For additional information, visit our bat health hazards page.
What to Do If a Bat Is Inside a Memphis Home or Occupied Room
Do not handle a bat with bare hands. Bat bites can be very small and may not always be obvious.
If a person has been bitten or scratched by a bat, or may have had direct contact with one, CDC recommends obtaining medical or public-health guidance promptly.
If possible rabies exposure has occurred, consult the health department before releasing or disposing of the bat because testing may be recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions About Memphis Bat Removal
What is the fastest way to get bats out of a Memphis house?
When bats are living inside a structure, the appropriate solution is usually professional exclusion. Active entry points are identified, secondary openings are secured and one-way devices allow bats to leave without getting back inside. Capturing individual bats does not correct the structural openings being used by the colony.
How much does bat removal cost in Memphis?
The cost depends on the building and the scope of work. Important factors include the size and height of the structure, roof design, number of entry points, accessibility, amount of sealing required, location of the roost and whether guano cleanup or repairs are necessary. An inspection is the best way to determine the actual scope.
Does Tennessee regulate professional bat exclusion?
Yes. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency states that Animal Damage Control operators require approval before conducting bat exclusion work. TWRA requests information about the species, approximate number of bats and whether young bats are present.
Why can’t I just seal the hole the bats are using?
Sealing an active entrance while bats remain inside can trap them within the building. They may then move through walls, ceilings or other spaces while searching for another exit. Active openings are normally addressed with one-way exclusion before final sealing.
How do bats get into an attic?
Bats use openings that already exist around a building. Common access points include roof edges, soffits, fascia, vents, flashing, chimneys, siding and construction joints. Effective inspection looks for both active entrances and secondary openings that could become alternate entry points.
Do bats chew holes into houses?
No. Bats use openings that already exist rather than chewing through building materials to create entrances. Preventing their return therefore depends on identifying and sealing those openings after proper exclusion.
Will ultrasonic devices remove bats from an attic?
Ultrasonic devices are not a substitute for structural exclusion. CDC guidance also notes that ultrasonic devices are not effective for eliminating bats from a roosting area. A lasting solution requires identifying the structural openings, allowing bats to leave and then securing the building against re-entry.
Does one bat inside mean there is a colony in the attic?
Not necessarily. A single bat can accidentally enter an occupied room. Repeated indoor appearances, accumulated guano, sounds in walls or ceilings, or bats consistently emerging from the same portion of the building are stronger indications of an established roost.
Why can professional bat removal become expensive?
Bat exclusion is often a building-envelope project rather than a simple animal-removal job. A complex structure may have extensive rooflines, multiple entry points, difficult access and substantial sealing requirements. Cleanup, specialized access equipment and repairs can also affect the scope of work.
Can United Bat Control handle large commercial bat problems in Memphis?
Yes. United Bat Control works with residential properties as well as commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Larger projects may require extensive inspection, multiple exclusion areas and coordination with building management or normal facility operations.
Memphis and Shelby County Service Area
United Bat Control provides professional bat removal and exclusion throughout Memphis and surrounding communities, including properties in and around:
- Downtown Memphis
- Midtown Memphis
- East Memphis
- South Memphis
- North Memphis
- Germantown
- Bartlett
- Collierville
- Lakeland
- Arlington
- Millington
- Shelby County communities
Why Property Owners Choose United Bat Control
- Specializing in professional bat control since 1998.
- Humane exclusion and structural bat-proofing.
- Residential, commercial and institutional capabilities.
- Experience with large and complex buildings.
- Nationwide service capability.
- Inspection-based solutions developed for the individual property.
- Warranty coverage is available on qualifying bat-exclusion projects. Specific warranty terms are provided with each proposal based on the property, building conditions and scope of work.
Contact United Bat Control for Memphis Bat Removal
If bats are living in your Memphis home, commercial property, school, healthcare facility or other building, United Bat Control can evaluate the structure and develop an appropriate exclusion plan.
Call 866-747-2287 for professional Memphis bat removal and exclusion.
You can also contact United Bat Control online.
Memphis & Tennessee Bat Resources
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency – Bats of Tennessee
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency – Wildlife Damage Control
- CDC – Preventing Rabies from Bats
- CDC – Histoplasma in the Environment