Bats
Latin Name: Myotis lucifugus
Bats are fascinating creatures and essential to ecosystems, as they help control insect populations and pollinate plants. However, when they invade human dwellings or structures, they can become a wildlife nuisance. Here's an overview of bats as nuisances and the concerns they bring:
Why Bats Become a Nuisance
- Roosting in Buildings: Bats often seek out safe, warm places to roost, such as attics, chimneys, and eaves. Once established, colonies can be challenging to remove.
- Guano Accumulation: Bat droppings (guano) can accumulate quickly, causing unpleasant odors, staining surfaces, and attracting other pests like cockroaches or flies.
- Health Concerns: Guano can harbor Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungus that causes histoplasmosis, a respiratory illness. Additionally, while rare, bats can carry rabies, posing risks to humans and pets.
- Noise and Smell: Colonies of bats can create scratching or squeaking noises at night, disturbing sleep. The strong ammonia-like odor from their guano and urine can permeate homes.
- Property Damage: Over time, bat guano can degrade wood, drywall, and insulation, leading to costly repairs.
Signs of a Bat Infestation
- Seeing bats flying near your home at dusk or dawn.
- Dark stains near entry points, caused by the oil from their fur.
- Finding guano in attics, near windows, or under eaves.
- Hearing high-pitched squeaks or rustling noises at night.
Prevention and Control
- Sealing Entry Points: Inspect your home for gaps or openings, such as vents, loose shingles, or cracks. Seal these areas with caulk, mesh, or other materials, ensuring bats are not trapped inside.
- Installing Bat Exclusion Devices: These allow bats to exit but not re-enter. It's essential to ensure all bats are out before sealing openings permanently.
- Professional Removal: Bat removal is regulated in many areas due to their ecological importance. Our local pest control professionals are equipped to handle exclusions humanely and in compliance with local laws.
- Guano Cleanup: After the bats are removed, thorough cleaning and disinfection of affected areas are necessary to prevent health risks.
Legal Protections
Many bat species are protected under state and federal laws. It's illegal to kill or harm bats in most cases, especially during their maternity season when young bats cannot survive on their own. This makes humane exclusion the preferred method of control.
Remember, inspections are free and you are better safe than sorry. Contact us today.
FAQs About Bats
Are bats mammals or birds?
Bats are mammals, the only ones capable of sustained flight.
How do bats see in the dark?
Bats have an extraordinary ability to navigate and hunt in total darkness, primarily through a biological system called echolocation. This process involves emitting high-frequency sound pulses—often between 20 kHz and 200 kHz, far beyond human hearing. When these sound waves hit an object, they bounce back as echoes, which bats receive and analyze using highly specialized auditory systems. By measuring the time it takes for the echoes to return and the subtle changes in frequency, bats construct a detailed three-dimensional mental map of their surroundings. This allows them to detect obstacles and even track tiny flying insects with incredible precision—some can even detect something as thin as a human hair mid-flight.
Despite the widespread myth, bats are not blind. In fact, most have functional vision. The microbat species, which include most insectivorous bats, have smaller eyes and rely more heavily on echolocation, particularly in dark or enclosed environments. In contrast, megabats—also known as fruit bats or flying foxes—possess
Why do bats hang upside down?
Bats hang upside down primarily because their anatomy and evolutionary adaptations make it the most efficient and practical position for rest, safety, and takeoff.
Unlike birds, bats cannot launch into flight from the ground easily. Their wings are not strong enough to provide the lift needed from a standing start, and their legs are relatively weak and short, making running or jumping into flight impossible. By hanging upside down, bats can simply let go and fall into flight using gravity as a launch assist—this gives them a quick and energy-efficient way to escape predators or take off for foraging.
Anatomically, bats have a unique tendon-locking mechanism in their feet. When they hang, the weight of their body automatically tightens the tendons in their toes, locking their grip onto surfaces without requiring muscular effort. This means bats can hang for hours—or even sleep—without using any energy. In fact, bats often die still hanging, because their feet stay clenched even after death.
How long do bats live?
Surprisingly long. Bats can live 10-30 years, with some species living up to 40 years.
Do all bats drink blood?
No. Most eat insects, fruit, or nectar. Only three species of bats out of over 1,400 worldwide are known to feed exclusively on blood. These are the vampire bats, and all three species are native to Central and South America:
-
Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)
→ Feeds mostly on the blood of mammals, including livestock. -
Hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata)
→ Prefers bird blood. -
White-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi)
→ Also targets birds.
Important Note: Vampire bats are not found naturally in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, or anywhere in the United States.
Why do bats fly at people?
Their echolocation is incredibly precise, allowing them to navigate tight spaces with ease, and if a bat flies near your head, it's likely just maneuvering through the area or trying to find its way out.
In cases where a bat accidentally enters a home or building, its frantic, erratic flight is simply a sign of confusion as it searches for an exit. Similarly, if bats are startled by lights, noise, or sudden movement near their roost, they may take off abruptly, giving the false impression that they're flying at you when they're actually just trying to flee.