# Interest group forums > Pest Control Industry Forum >  Scaring bats away from home

## mielie

We are experiencing bats messing on the outside walls of our home causing
we are painting all the time.  The marks are not removed by washing and
scrubbing.  Any advice will be highly appreciated.   First thought it was the
Hardidas but now have seen bats flying out of the next door neighbour's tree.
There are quite a few people in our area with the same problem especially the
high walls.

----------


## Dave A

:Hmmm:  Bats are more important to the ecology than most people think. At least you're talking about moving them as opposed to exterminating them  :Thumbup: 

Odds are they're fruit bats - they tend to do the squirty wall-marking thing. Insect eating bat guana tends to be a lot drier.

Fruit bats tend to excrete as they come in to land (or is that hang  :Stick Out Tongue: ) and just what gets hit is pretty dependant on their flight path. Generally this can get a bit tricky near roosts where they are regulars.

Tough to solve, really. If it's an area where they're roosting, my best thought is put in a bat box on a pole well clear of walls you don't want marked. There's a fair chance they'll relocate to a more favourable location if one is made available. 

If it's a fruiting tree they're attracted to... I knew one instance where a person set up a net to change their flight path. Not always practical though (obviously  :Slap: ). It would take a bit of study to figure it out, I guess.

Bat enthusiasts tend to be quite helpful. There are quite a few bat interest groups around the country. I had a quick look around and the links page of the Gauteng Bat Interest Group seemed the most comprehensive to help you find your closest group.

----------


## mielie

Thank you Dave

Will also do a bit more research.  The best option would be to divert them in another
direction.  It is just boring to keep on painting the front walls!

----------


## SilverNodashi

I don't know, but suppose if you can find where they roost, just seal it up shut (make sure they're all out), put a light in there for a few days (nights?) and hopefully they'll move to the new bat box in the backyard?

----------

