A most fearsome creature...not!
Very few animals are as misunderstood or maligned as bats.
OK, granted, bats are unlikely to win any beauty contests, or popularity contests for that matter, but they are very misunderstood and a valuable part of the ecosystem.
There are lots of myths about bats:
There are a couple of negative aspects of having bats in your home.
There are lots of myths about bats:
- Bats are blind. Bats are not blind. While they have very sophisticated echo location that lets them see in the dark, their eyesight is very similar to ours.
- Bats all have rabies. On any given year, 5-12% of the bats tested test positive for rabies. The level in the general population is much lower.
- Bats suck blood. There are three species of vampire bats that do drink blood, but only in small amounts and almost always from livestock or birds. None of these are found in Oklahoma. All of our bats feed on insects.
- Bats get tangled in women's hair. Not sure where this one came from, but it has no basis in fact.
- Without bats, there would be no tequila. OK. This one is true. Some species of bats are significant pollinators and the agave plant requires bats to pollinate their flowers. Without bats, there would be no margaritas!
There are a couple of negative aspects of having bats in your home.
- Where bats roost in large numbers, their urine and droppings (guano), can accumulate and can smell bad, possibly even leading to structural damage.
- Bats can carry a parasite called "Bat Bugs". No, they are not tiny superheroes, they are actually similar to bed bugs and are often mistaken for bed bugs. They can bite humans if there are no bats present, but they do not carry disease, just itchy and irritating. They can be easily treated by a pest control company.
- Bats are the number one source of human rabies, but even then it is very rare. On average 2 people a year contract rabies in the US, and bats are only responsible for a small percentage of those. Compare that with 40-50 people a year killed by domestic dogs. Interestingly, People contracting rabies from dogs while traveling out of the country accounts for most rabies cases.
Bats are the only true flying mammal and there are 1,100 species of bats worldwide. 40 species live in the US, and 24 different species are found in Oklahoma. All Oklahoma bats are insect eaters and can eat over 1,000 mosquitos per hour. They must, however, either hibernate or migrate one the cold winter sets in and causes the insects to go dormant.
Bat Removal
All in all, bats are good to have around the neighborhood, but not in in your house.
Removing bats from your home is easy, its keeping them out that is a challenge. All of their entrances need to be sealed up except one. A type of one way door called a Bat Valve needs to be installed over the entrance where they are coming and going, but before we lock them out, we have to make sure that we have the entire house sealed up. Bats can come in through holes the size of a dime. or a crack that is smaller than the tip of your finger. It is very common for us to spend two full days just sealing cracks, flashings, and roof trim, but once the home is fully sealed, the bat valve is installed and as each bat comes out, it must find another place to live. In less than a week, your home will be bat free!
If you have bats, or just want more information, call Predator Impact. We always like to talk about bats!
All in all, bats are good to have around the neighborhood, but not in in your house.
Removing bats from your home is easy, its keeping them out that is a challenge. All of their entrances need to be sealed up except one. A type of one way door called a Bat Valve needs to be installed over the entrance where they are coming and going, but before we lock them out, we have to make sure that we have the entire house sealed up. Bats can come in through holes the size of a dime. or a crack that is smaller than the tip of your finger. It is very common for us to spend two full days just sealing cracks, flashings, and roof trim, but once the home is fully sealed, the bat valve is installed and as each bat comes out, it must find another place to live. In less than a week, your home will be bat free!
If you have bats, or just want more information, call Predator Impact. We always like to talk about bats!