Managing smell - What if bats are being a nuisance? - Bat Conservation Trust

It is not common for bat roosts to cause an issue with smell, however on occasion, an odour can develop due to an accumulation of bat droppings within the space where the bats roost, such as a loft space, wall cavity or roof crevice. It is usually a seasonal issue, being most discernible in the summer months when the bats are present and when the weather is warmest. Droppings themselves rarely smell (as they are made up of dried insect remains), but an odour may occur if droppings come into contact with moisture, or where an accumulation of droppings are present in a poorly ventilated area. Clearing up droppingsIf the droppings are easily accessible e.g. on the floor of a loft space, we would recommend clearing out any accumulations in the autumn to help eliminate any odour. We advise that droppings are cleared in September/October each year (not during the summer or winter) to avoid entering the space when bats are most vulnerable to disturbance.If you cannot clean up the droppings yo...