CASE STUDY: BAT EXCLUSION SERVICES FOR UNION SPRINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Go Pro Wildlife recently provided services to Union Springs Presbyterian Church located in Union Springs, AL. Built in 1883, the historic church has had no alterations made to the body of the infrastructure. Over time, the body has shifted, causing cracks and crevasses that make perfect entry points for nuisance wildlife. Church staff members noticed signs of bats in the belltower and even counted up to 50 bats leaving the tower. The church members knew something had to be done so they turned to the team at Go Pro Wildlife Removal for help.

GOING WITH THE PROS

Go Pro Wildlife was providing bat exclusion services to the Union Springs Courthouse when they received a call from Union Springs Presbyterian. The Church has had bat issues in the past, but no specialist has been able to remove and prevent the bats from returning. Go Pro Wildlife Removal was developed with a focus on proving non-lethal exclusion options that yield permanent solutions to wildlife problems. This focus made Co-owner, Chris Kadletz, and his team perfect for the job at Union Springs Presbyterian.

THE BAT EXCLUSION PROCESS

The Go Pro Wildlife team started with a comprehensive inspection of the entire church to identify bat activity. The two main signs the Go Pro team looks for are guano (bat droppings) and dark brown coloring near entry points due to substances on the bodies of bats that are transferred to the structure as bats enter and exit. Once bat activity was confirmed, the team began working on an exclusion plan. The team sealed areas in the facia between the shingle line and the brick line where many bats were seeking entry.

During the fall and early winter months, it is common for bats to seek shelter in high places that provide some sort of temperature control and offer protection and survival during the colder winter months.

A large portion of this project was focused on the belfry or the section of the tower where the bell is housed. This section was identified as the main entry point for the bat colony. The team put hardware cloth on the cable vents in the belfry which will prevent more bats from entering. Next, they installed one-way doors for the bats that are currently in the belfry to exit. This is a non-lethal method for bat exclusion that will not only eliminate the current problem but will prevent future bat issues. After two days on-site, the team was able to successfully implement an exclusion solution for the members of Union Springs Presbyterian Church and ensure their church bells were no longer sharing space with unwanted guests.

Go Pro Wildlife specializes in identifying entry points for bats and other wildlife, implementing removal processes and securing the space to prevent re-entry. Since the beginning, owners Chris and Stephanie Kadletz have operated with the goal of bridging the gap between humans and wildlife, which is why their removal and prevention services are non-lethal to important wildlife like bats. To learn more about Go Pro’s bat and wildlife exclusion services, visit our services page or contact us at (334) 744-0391.