Bats

As one of the more unique-looking wildlife animals, bats are feared by many. These avian mammals can fly around your home erratically if they get inside, which is frightening. Bats are known for getting into cracks as small as a dime, and you can guess that there may be one or two of those located on your home's exterior! Once bats get into your home, they can cause all sorts of problems. Call Wildlife X Team® today at (817) 431-3007 for help with the bat removal and bat control processes!

 

 

Common Bat Problems — Are Bats Dangerous?

The short answer is yes. Like other wildlife, if left alone, bats are not directly dangerous to your health, but if they encroach on your space, they become hazardous. The bat relocation and removal process is also best left to professionals, as bats will bite if threatened. Bats, despite their size, can cause severe damage, mostly in the form of unpleasant scents, but also in the form of structural damage.

• Large accumulations of guano often located in corners of attics
  • Bat guano is usually made of primarily the exoskeleton of the insects they eat. The quick breakdown of guano makes it acidic and can interact with other substances like limestone to create tertiary minerals. It is sometimes even used as fertilizer. Like bird droppings, guano's high acidity means that it can work to erode structures.
• Presence in chimneys, though sometimes by accident
  • Baby bats that are just learning to fly can accidentally get into your chimney. Whether by accident or intentionally, bats in the chimney can get into your home if you're not careful. Do NOT start a fire if there are bats in your chimney. Instead, contact a wildlife removal specialist near you.
• Bites or scratches that can lead to potentially fatal diseases
  • Bats are quite small and understandably feel stressed if a much larger human is approaching them. Bats will not hesitate to scratch or bite, and while the bite or scratch itself may not be as damage-inflicting as that of a larger wildlife critter, it can transmit diseases—like rabies.

If you are finding signs of bat presence on your property or if you spot one, or want to know how to get rid of bats from your attic and chimney, please call our Wildlife X Team® at (817) 431-3007 today. We can help you solve your bat problems permanently!

More About Bats

Where Can You Find Bats?

• Bats are found all around the world and there are hundreds of different species of bats, living in forests and caves, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. The bumblebee bat found in the jungles of Thailand is the smallest mammal in the world and weighs less than a penny!
• If you're here, you'd probably wondering where bats like to go inside your home, and the answer is as simple as it is complex: bats favor dark and cozy spaces that they feel protected in. This most often translates into your attic, crawlspace, or walls. They also find themselves in your chimney, whether intentionally or accidentally.

When Are Bats Most Active?

• Bats hunt at night using their exceptional sight to pick out their prey, generally insects, frogs, and small rodents. The size of the bat varies with the species, but some bats can have a wingspan of over 2 meters, like the Indonesian giant flying fox! Smaller bat species can be as little as only 2 cm.
• Unlike most species of animal, bats are found in any environment around the world excluding the polar regions. Despite what myths you may have heard, only three species of bats feed on animal blood and they all live in the deep jungles of South America, not Transylvania.

Bat Mating & Birthing Season

Bats generally have their babies by July. The babies, or pups, are born without the ability to fly, so the mother bat keeps them warm and nourished. It’s important to ensure you don’t accidentally trap baby bats inside your home that can’t fly when you're trying to seal your home from wildlfe. You don’t want to lock the mother bats outside where they can’t tend to the babies. If you suspect you have bats living in your home, call the professionals at Wildlife X Team® to evalue the situation. 

Are bats dangerous?

Bats are a very important part of our ecosystem! However, bats can carry diseases. Common diseases that bats carry include histoplasmosis and rabies. Histoplasmosis is found in bat droppings and can cause illness by being near the bats.

When are bat problems most likely?

The most common time of year to have bat problems is during the warmer months of summer and spring.

Will a bat house on my property lure the bats out of my home?

Because bat houses are not a better option for the bat than your home, they will not leave to live in a bat house in your yard.

Bat Fun Facts

• Bats' most prominent sense is their sound—they use a process called echolocation to find their way around and find prey. The bat creates a series of supersonic sounds, which the bat then uses to locate prey by the sounds reflected back to them.
• The Niah Caves in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, on the tropical island of Borneo, is particularly famous for the sightings of thousands of bats. Oddly enough the enormous quantities of the bat’s dung (known as guano), is one of the things that draws so many people towards bats!
• Some bat species have been known to fly at extreme heights—sometimes up to 2 miles above the ground! The bat's senses are so fine-tuned that it is thought that some bats can hear footsteps 6 miles away.