Bats are a unique species of mammals. They have been around approximately 50 million years. They have furry bodies with naked, transparent wings. Bats are the only mammal that can fly. Their wings are a membrane spread across elongated arm bones and fingers. Approximate wingspread of the Little Brown Bat is 8 to 12 inches; the Big Brown Bat is 12 or 13 inches; the Palid Bat is 14 or 15 inches. They also have tail membranes. Some species can fly distances up to 200 miles. To start flying, a bat drops from its perch or crawls to some height until it can drop into the air.
Bat colonies living in buildings often enter through any crack or crevice ½ inch wide or more and a hole ⅝ inch in diameter. Close inspection of suspected entry points usually will reveal brown stains from body oils where the bats squeeze in and out and possible a few mouse-like droppings adhering to the building just below.
The only effective control method is professional exclusion. Effective bat proofing requires placement of one-way exit devices on entry and exit sites. Potential cracks and crevices need to be addressed to prevent further infestation. Our company has been excluding bats using this method for over 40 years.
We have been in business over 40 years. & We pride ourselves on being a most respected and successful bat exclusion service. Our success is based on our ability to understand and exceed the requirements of our clients in a professional, service-oriented manner with a dedication to superior quality and performance. Through the years, we have developed a solid reputation for quality and timely work with positive satisfaction.
Once the proper exclusion devices have been installed the on the structure, it usually takes about five to seven days for all the bats to leave. All bats do not leave at the same time. In the colder months it will take longer for bats to leave due to hibernation and low activity levels. We return to remove the “exit valves” in about one week to allow time for all bats to exit the building.
Our bat exclusion services are very safe. There are NO chemicals or pesticides used. There is no need for anyone in the dwelling to have to leave while the bat exclusion job is in process.
No bats are harmed using our exclusion services. Our bat exclusion devices allow bats to exit the building but not re-enter. Once the bats realize that they cannot get back into the house they will go in search of a new dwelling. This process is approved by Bat Conservation International and is widely accepted as the most humane method of safely dealing with a bat infestation.
This is the most common question asked, and there may be some serious health risks that are associated with having bats “living” in the house/building. Two possible risks can include Rabies or Histoplasmosis. Bats are also hosts to parasites (bat bugs & ticks), both internal and external. However, most of these cannot survive away from the bats and pose little threat to humans and other animals. Once a bat colony is excluded from the dwelling, any parasites that remain behind usually die quickly when separated from the bats.
Yes, but not all bats have rabies. Studies have shown that less than one percent of bats contract rabies and when they do they usually die within three or four days. In nature, it has been documented that 0.5% of bats have rabies. However, if you contract rabies it can be fatal. Bites or exposure to animals must be taken seriously. Contact your doctor or local health department if you have come in contact with a bat.
Avoiding bats is essential to reducing the risk of rabies in humans. Bats should not be picked up or otherwise handled. Remember, bats are very beneficial by nightly eating their weight in insects. They prey on several species of pest insects including mosquitoes and moths. lf a bat is found indoors you should contact the Center for Disease Control for more information. Never touch a bat, alive or dead. Use thick gloves or tongs to handle a bat. If the bat is dead, refrigerate it (DO NOT freeze) and then contact your local health department immediately for instructions.
With the exception of three species of nectar-feeding bats that live along the Mexican border of Arizona and Texas, all bats in the United States and Canada are insectivorous. Worldwide, bats are the major predators of night-flying insects such as mosquitoes. Some bats can catch up to 600 mosquitoes in an hour and consume their weight in insects in one night.
Bats use echolocation as an important role in food hunting. While flying, bats emit a continuous series of supersonic sounds through their nose or open mouth. The sounds bounce off objects and are picked up by the bats’ sensitive ears. Using sound alone, these bats “see” everything but color, and in total darkness can detect objects as small as mosquitoes which they feed on.
No. Most bats are highly social and live in colonies. Sexual cycles are synchronized and most mating occurs over a period of a few weeks. Male and female bats have separate colonies. Males roost together in “bachelor” colonies, and females roost with their babies in “nursing” colonies.
Bats, for their size, are the slowest reproducing mammals on earth. On average, a female bat rears only one young yearly. Baby bats are called “Pups”. Most bats that live in the United States mate in the fall just before entering hibernation. The young have reached adult size by three months of age.
Bats can have a life-span between 7 and 20+ years depending on the species of bat.
All bats can see, some see better than us. In most bats, vision and smell are the predominant senses. Many bats are able to detect objects as thin as human hair in total darkness. They have a sophisticated echolocation system. These bats emit high-frequency sounds that bounce back to their ears, enabling them to detect objects in total darkness.
During the day bats sleep in trees, rock crevices, caves, and buildings. Bats are nocturnal (active at night), leaving daytime roosts at dusk. Upon leaving their roost, bats fly to a stream, pond, or lake where they dip their lower jaw into the water while still in flight and take a drink. After drinking, bats forage for insects.
Bats are seen at dawn and dusk or can be detected by the presence of their feces which, upon touch, readily disintegrates into tiny, shiny fragments of insect pieces. Mouse droppings, in contrast, remain formed.
Bats can be found living in almost any conceivable shelter, though they are best known for living in caves. Many species have adapted to living in buildings as their natural habitat has been destroyed.
The majority of bats inhabit tropical forests. About 70% of bats eat insects and many tropical species feed exclusively on fruit or nectar. A few are carnivorous, hunting small vertebrates, such as fish, frogs, mice, and birds.
There are only three species of vampire bats living in Central and South America. They do not suck blood, instead they make a small incision with their razor sharp teeth and then lap up the blood.