Q I have a problem with bats near my front door. There is white gunk on the siding and the other night one was in our home. How can we rid this area of bats? I've thought about leaving the front light on all night, but that could be costly. Can you help?
A Are you sure it's bat droppings you see? In daytime, you probably can see them roosting in overhangs directly above the droppings. Or watch the area about a half-hour before dusk to see if they are coming out from wall or attic cavities. Bats will start leaving about dusk, with the last bat out within an hour of the first.
But first, let's consider another likely scenario: It could be pigeon droppings that you are seeing, and the bat indoors is just a coincidence.
Repelling pigeons can be difficult. Sometimes motion and noise will scare them away. Try mounting flags on rails, tying ribbons to posts or mounting wind chimes. The noise doesn't necessarily have to be grating or loud. This may be only a temporary fix, however, because the birds can become accustomed to the movement and noise.
Applying a sticky bird repellent tape (available at hardware stores) where they roost may help. Eliminating food sources is another way to discourage them, but that can be hard to do in some settings.
The real solution to a pigeon problem is modification of their potential roosting area or a reduction in the number of birds. Consistently destroying nests will help. (Because they aren't a protected species, you can destroy pigeon nests, but not the nests of songbirds and other protected species.)
Readers have suggested discouraging pigeon roosting by altering the roost. If the area on which the birds land is at least an inch wide, attach string lengthwise across the area at one-inch intervals. The birds don't like the loose, twisty string for a perch and will eventually give up.
Evicting bats
