4 Things to Remember When Investigating a Bat Infestation

If you find you are the unintentional landlord to a family of bats, the removal of said animals can be a bit tricky. If you live in the Central Plains region, you are in luck! Give us a call at Central Plains Bat Removal for a free estimate. 

If you don’t, never fear; we have some helpful info on bats for you. We also have a few tips and tricks to remember when dealing with a bat infestation.

Let’s get started:

1. Bats Are Good

For as long as there have been stories told around a campfire, people have been scared of bats. We blame Dracula. Those stories, while entertaining, have done a grave disservice to a noble and essential species that need our protection, not scorn.

Let’s quickly go over some of the reasons bats are so cool. 

• Bats are the only mammals that can fly. They are so unique that they comprise their own scientific order, Chiroptera. That may sound a little creepy, but it merely means hand-wing.
• Bat’s wings are similar in structure to the human hand. They are composed of 4 long “fingers” with thin, almost translucent skin stretched tight between them.
• There are 13000 different kinds of bats in the world, but only 50 of them live in North America. 
• They range in size from as big as a small dog to as little as a hummingbird. 
• Most bats like to stay together, forming large, tight-knit communities. Mothers have been known to nurse and care for their young for up to six months. On the other hand, there are a few types that live solitary lives.
• Bats can eat between 2,000 and 6,000 insects in a single night!
• There are only three types of vampire bats. They only eat about one tablespoon of blood in a feeding. They are very social and have been known to help feed sick or elderly bats in their community.

Hopefully, learning a few of the more exciting bat facts will remove some of the stigmas that bats have unfairly garnered. Bats need our protection and compassion.

Which leads us to our next point:

2. Bats Are Endangered 

According to Bat Conservation International:

• 24 bat species are Critically Endangered
• 53 bat species are Endangered
• 104 bat species are considered Vulnerable
• 226 bat species are “Data Deficient” which means that there is not enough information to determine those species level of danger

Overall, bats are severely understudied. Bats make up about 20% of all mammals. Part of the explanation for the lack of understanding of bats could be the fact that they are nocturnal. Most of their waking lives occur during the hours between dusk and dawn. 

Many factors may contribute to the decline of the bat population. Some include:

• Over-development 
• Destruction of natural habitats
• Diminishing Food Supply
• Disease
• Poaching 
• Wind turbines
• Light pollution 

Don’t despair! There are a few simple things you can to help your local bat population. 

• Reduce or limit pesticide use
• Put up a bat house
• If there are naturally occurring bat colonies in your area, void disturbing the bats in their natural habitat
• If you find a bat in your home, call Central Plains Bat Removal. We are always humane, and rehabilitation and safe release is our priority. 

3. Bats Are Vital to Their Ecosystem

Bats are what is known as a keystone species. A keystone species is one that is vital to its ecosystem. As critical components of their environments, bats perform several crucial features.

Pollinators

Nectar-feeding bats are considered critical pollen-dispersers. Many plants have even evolved to allow for the long tongues of nectar-feeding bats to be able to reach the sweet nectar they produce. 

When these bats land to drink nectar, they pick up pollen and carry it to the next flower they land on to drink. Without bats, many species of plants would be put severely at risk. 

Seed-dispersers

Fruit bats are essential to their habitats. Many plants rely on animals, such as birds and bats, to spread their seeds. 

Bats are ideal seed-dispersers because they consume a wide variety of fruits and travel vast distances. They spread seeds to places far and wide and perpetuate critical plant species.

Pest Control

Insect-eating bats are often the primary predators of night-flying insects. Apart from the apparent benefit of less pesky bugs, bats save us money!

More bats mean less crop-damaging insects. Bats save over 3.5 billion dollars a year in protected crops and reduced pesticide use. 

Now that makes a lot of cents! (wink, wink)

If You See a Bat, Caution is Key!

In general, bats are shy and gentle. While they are rarely aggressive, they are still wild animals and should be left alone. 

One of the main reasons people are afraid of bats is the belief that bats are common carriers of rabies. In truth, less than ½ of 1 percent of bats carry rabies. Therefore, the chance of contracting the disease from a bat bite is meager. 

If you do see a bat in your home, never touch it with your bare hands.  Never try to catch a bat while it is in flight as the risk of injury, both to yourself and the bat, is much higher. 

If you are going to try to catch a bat to release it outside, use extreme caution. Wear gloves but avoid touching the bat if possible. Note, it is NOT recommended that you handle bats if at all possible.

Sometimes, the best option is to open all doors and windows to allow the bat to escape on its own.  Avoid agitating the bat by chasing it or trying to catch it. The bat will become stressed and may injure itself. 

The absolute best option is to:

4. Call a Professional

A professional, like those of us here at Central Plains Bat Removal, will be trained and certified to handle the bat without injury to himself or the bat. We are committed to furthering bat conservation efforts, and we work hard to maintain safe and humane bat removal practices. 

So call us today for your free quote!