Every year during the summer, I receive numerous calls from homeowners about strange noises around their homes. These homeowners suddenly find that they have become hosts to certain wild critters that they would rather not have to deal with.

It is not uncommon at all for birds, such as swallows, to find that chimneys offer an ideal place to raise their families. Unfortunately, if it is an ideal location for one swallow, it is also an ideal location for other swallows. Most times, more than one family of swallows will choose to use the same chimney. They build their nests in the chimney, lay their eggs, and hatch their young. Then the problem begins. The incessant chirping of the young and the odor associated with raising numerous families of hungry babies become very annoying for the homeowner.

It is also not uncommon for squirrels and bats to be attracted to the dark, secluded privacy of an attic. Squirrels usually do not raise their young in an attic, but they do find attics attractive places to establish their summer dens. Bats, on the other hand, not only find attics attractive places for summer residency, they also find them to be ideal places to raise their young. Again, the noise, odor, and damages caused by these intruders become very annoying to the homeowner.

The old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is very appropriate for both of these situations. It is always much more effective, and usually much easier, to keep these critters from establishing residency in your home than to try to get rid of them once they become established. This is especially true if you do not become aware of them until after their young are born, because once they have young, it is much more difficult to encourage them to go elsewhere to establish a home.

For chimney swallows, and in case bats may be attracted to your chimney, I would encourage you to make sure your chimney is capped with a snug-fitting screen. These devices are readily available for standard chimneys from local building supply businesses. It is not difficult at all to install these devices, but if the chimney is extremely high or if you are not physically able, you may need to hire someone to install it for you. If your chimney is not a standard size, effective screens may be constructed using 1/4 or 3/8 inch welded wire which is readily available from most local hardware stores.

Swallows and bats are migratory. They migrate to milder climates during the winter and migrate back to this area during the spring. Go outside within the next day or two and look at the top of your chimney. If there is already a screen on top of it, you are in good shape. If not, you might want to consider getting one installed before these unwanted critters start looking for places to raise their young.

It is more difficult to make your attic unaccessible for squirrels and bats. Ideally, there should be no small crevices or cracks where these critters can enter. If there are, they should be repaired or covered with some sort of material the animal cannot gnaw into.

If you have had problems with bats or squirrels in your attic in the past, this is a good sign that you may have problems again this year. In this case, you might want to spend a little time and money now to make your attic unaccessible.

If you have never had problems in the past, this is no sign that you will not have problems this year. If your attic is reasonably unaccessible, you just need to give special attention to any unusual activity, paying special attention during the early morning hours or just before dusk. If you see squirrels or bats attracted toward your attic, you should consider ways to repel them.

Moth balls are not 100 percent effective, but they can serve as a repellant. Moth balls placed in cloth bags, such as the legs of discarded panty hose, and hung in the chimney or around the attic, may be all that is needed to prevent these critters from using this space. In addition, these critters are seeking places that are dark and secluded. If they are attracted to your attic, you may want to consider a large flood light strategically placed where they might be entering the attic. Be careful not to create a fire hazard with the flood light.

If you have problems with unwanted critters, please call your Extension Service. We may be able to offer some suggestions that may be helpful.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 08/27/01