Bats get a bad rap but they are amazing little creatures that play a really big role in benefiting the ecosystem. One little brown bat can eat more than 1,000 mosquitoes in one hour and 70% of bats eat insects, making them excellent natural pest control. They are also good pollinators of crops that include figs, bananas and cashews. There are 1,000 species of bats in the world with 40 of them living in North America. The three most common bats found domestically are the big brown bat, the little brown bat and the Mexican free-tailed bat.
Bat Appearance & Behavior
Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Their elongated fingers and the wing membrane anatomically resembles the human hand. Their bodies are covered with hair that ranges in color from tan to black. They have pointed ears with leathery skin on their wings. When they are roosting, they will hang upside down with their hind legs. They don’t use their front legs to hang because they can’t grasp with them. They leave the home in the dusk to early evening hours You will see then flying around lights in the evening because insects can be found there. Baby bats are usually born in the summer. They will stay in the roost till fall and then overwinter in your home for too long. Most bats would rather avoid any interaction with you so transmission is rare, unless you’re trying to get rid of them.
Signs You’re Dealing with Bats
Bats are known to carry a few diseases that can affect humans, rabies, Histoplasmosis and Cryptocacaous. It’s good to know that rabies cases are very rare but they still need to be removed safely to avoid any problems. They can be found living on under the eaves outside your home and they only need a small opening to find their way inside. Bat dropping, called guano, can have fungus on it that can cause Histoplasmosis and Cryptocacaous. Don’t touch it or inhale the air around it because the spores in the dust can be inhaled into the lungs. The droppings are segmented and full of incest parts unlike mouse droppings. Bat urine is very strong and offensive and will linger in your home. Grease marks can be left behind by bats from the oils on their fur. These stains are brown to black n color. You may hear them in your home as they move around. Bats can harbor parasites called bat bugs and will move into living areas. They don’t transmit disease but become another pest in your home. To keep bats out of your home you will need to be seal off any openings but don’t trap them inside! Figure out how they’re getting in and their preferred exit point from your home.
Wildlife Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
Bats are amazing creatures but you don’t want them as roommates. Don’t try and handle bats because they are more likely to bite and pass disease. This makes them dangerous to control on your own. Contact A-Tex Pest Management to determine which bats you’re dealing with and to come up with the best way to get rid of them.