Virginia Bat Facts

Virginia bat facts Bats are an important part of Virginia’s wildlife. They feed on insects, use caves, trees, bridges, barns, attics, and other structures for roosting, and are found throughout the state. In Central Virginia, we commonly receive calls about bats in attics, gable vents, soffits, chimneys, rooflines, barns, garages, and outbuildings.

This page explains common Virginia bat facts, bat behavior, bat safety, and why bat removal in homes should be handled carefully. For professional help with bats in a home or business, visit our main bat removal in Virginia page.

Common Bats Found in Virginia Buildings

Virginia has many bat species, but only some are commonly found roosting in homes and buildings. The species most often associated with buildings in Virginia include big brown bats, little brown bats, evening bats, and Brazilian free-tailed bats.

Big Brown Bat

The big brown bat is one of the bat species most often found in Virginia homes and buildings. It may use attics, vents, barns, chimneys, wall voids, and other protected spaces for roosting.

Little Brown Bat

The little brown bat has historically been one of the better-known bat species in Virginia. It may use buildings, caves, and other sheltered areas, but populations have been affected by white-nose syndrome in many areas.

Evening Bat

Evening bats may use structures, tree cavities, and other sheltered locations. They can be associated with attic and building roosts in Virginia.

Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat

The Brazilian free-tailed bat is another species that may use buildings in Virginia. Like other bats, it can enter through small gaps around vents, rooflines, and exterior openings.

Virginia Big-Eared Bat and Other Protected Species

Virginia is also home to rare and protected bat species, including the Virginia big-eared bat, gray bat, Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, little brown bat, and tri-colored bat. Some bat species are federally endangered, federally threatened, or state endangered, so bat control work should be done carefully and legally.

Why Bats Matter in Virginia

Bats are beneficial animals. They feed on mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and many other flying insects. A single bat can eat a large number of insects in a night, and a healthy bat population can help reduce insect activity around farms, wooded properties, neighborhoods, and water sources.

Bats are good for the environment, but they are not good inside your attic, wall space, chimney, living area, barn, or business. When bats live in a structure, they can leave droppings, create odor, stain walls or ceilings, damage insulation, and sometimes lead to bat bug problems.

Where Bats Enter Virginia Homes

Bats can enter through surprisingly small openings. Common bat entry points include:

Gable vents
Attic vents
Soffit gaps
Fascia openings
Roof returns
Dormer gaps
Chimney gaps
Loose siding or trim
Ridge vents
Gaps around barns, sheds, garages, and outbuildings

Small roofline gaps can be difficult to see from the ground. This is why a close inspection is important before starting any bat exclusion work.

Bat Maternity Season in Virginia

Bat activity in homes often increases during the warmer months. In Virginia, young bats may be present during late spring and summer. If entry points are sealed too early while young bats cannot fly, bats may become trapped inside the structure or may enter living areas.

For that reason, bat exclusion should be done at the appropriate time of year and only after the structure has been inspected. A bat job done incorrectly can create a worse problem than doing nothing.

Facts About Bat Removal in Virginia

Bat removal is usually done through exclusion, not by trapping bats inside the structure.
One-way exclusion devices allow bats to leave but prevent them from re-entering.
All active and potential entry points should be identified before sealing begins.
Entry points should not be sealed until the bats are out of the structure.
Bat exclusion must consider the time of year, especially when young bats may be present.
Bats should not be poisoned, sprayed with repellents, or handled by untrained people.
Bats should not be relocated off the property.
Bat guano may need to be removed after the bats are excluded.
Bat bugs may become noticeable after bats leave or are excluded.
No two bat jobs are exactly the same because every structure has different entry points, rooflines, vents, and access issues.

What to Do if a Bat Gets Inside Your Living Space

If a bat is flying inside your living space, do not swat it, kill it, or release it outside if there is any chance of human or pet exposure. Close off the room if you can do so safely, keep people and pets away, and contact your local animal control office or local health department for guidance.

Medical guidance may be needed if a bat was found in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, intoxicated person, or someone who may not be able to clearly say whether contact occurred. Bat bites can be small and difficult to detect.

After the immediate indoor bat situation is handled, the home should be inspected. A bat inside the living area may be a one-time event, but it can also indicate bats are using the attic, chimney, vent, wall space, or roofline.

Bat Guano and Bat Bugs

Bat guano is bat droppings. It may collect in attics, wall spaces, insulation, barns, garages, and other roosting areas. Depending on the amount and location, professional cleanup may be recommended after the bats are excluded.

Bat bugs are insects associated with bat roosts. They look similar to bed bugs and may move into living spaces after bats are removed or excluded. If bat bugs are present, treatment may be needed after the bat problem is corrected.

Virginia Bat Conservation and Safety

Bats should be respected and protected. They are valuable animals, and many bat species are under pressure from habitat loss, human disturbance, wind energy impacts, and white-nose syndrome. At the same time, bats inside a home or business need to be addressed safely, legally, and professionally.

Homeowners can help bats by avoiding direct contact, keeping pets vaccinated, not disturbing cave or maternity roosts, and handling building conflicts through exclusion instead of harmful methods.

For official bat guidance, visit the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources page about problems with bats. For health-related guidance, visit the Virginia Department of Health page about rabies control.

Local Bat Removal in Virginia

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC., provides bat inspection, bat exclusion, bat-proofing, bat guano cleanup recommendations, and bat bug guidance for homes and businesses in Central Virginia and surrounding areas.

For local bat service pages, visit:

We also provide broader residential wildlife removal service for animals in attics, crawl spaces, chimneys, vents, walls, yards, and other areas of the property.

More Virginia Wildlife Information

For additional information about animals found in Virginia, visit our wildlife of Virginia page. You can also view our Virginia wildlife removal service areas page for cities and counties we serve.

Need Help With Bats in Virginia?

If you have bats in your attic, chimney, soffit, gable vent, wall space, barn, garage, shed, or business, call Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC.

Call (800) 457-8630 for bat removal, bat control, bat exclusion, bat proofing, bat guano cleanup recommendations, and bat bug concerns in Virginia.

We are consistently rated as a top wildlife removal company by our customers.

Our wildlife removal technicians are licensed and insured and have a Commercial Nuisance Wildlife Removal Permit issued by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. We are also associated with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), National Trappers Association (NTA), National Pest Management Association (NPMA), and other professional organizations.

National Trappers Association (NTA): www.nationaltrappers.com
National Pest Management Association (NPMA): www.npmapestworld.org