Nowadays, bats aren’t confined anymore to caves and forests. Instead, these creatures have now adapted to the slow spreading of urbanization amongst rural areas. They are nocturnal creatures, meaning that they only move around when the sun is down. Otherwise, they are to be seen sound asleep while upside down in dark places.
Because of their reluctance to sunlight, they are mostly found inside cold and hidden places. However, this is not only limited to the wilds. They can also convert any dark place that is not frequented by humans into their own homes. This is when they start to become pests.
The difficult part in having bats as pests in your house is the fact that they come across as scary for many due to the large amount of folklore that is negatively associated with them. After all, some thrive on blood for food, a fact which easily scares most people.
Bats
All over the world, there are about 980 species of bats. Out of all of these, about 40 species are found around the United States. They are mammals, which means that they are of the same class which dogs, cats, and humans belong in. They are mostly active during the night. They are not necessarily blind when the sun is out, however, during the night, they have to see using echolocation. Basically, whenever they make noises, they will determine how fast the sound vibrations return to their side which tells them how far something is in front of them.
They are the only known mammals to have wings. Their colors range from black to brown.
What do they eat?
What propagates fear with bats is the fact that some of them feed on blood. There are only 3 species which does this, though. Most of them eat small insects, fruits, or fish. This is why they mostly frequent around forest areas. If one happens to be near your property, it means that there is a steady source of pests around your area.
How can they be dangerous?
Though rare, bats that feed on blood are still dangerous for humans. These bats have long and sharp teeth that can easily pierce through human skin. They are not known to prioritize humans though.
The danger that is common with bats is their tendency to be rabid. Bats who contract rabies are usually not easy to distinguish from those who don’t. This is why it is better to avoid them totally. Their rabies are not only spread through bites but also through saliva, tissue, and body fluids. If they happen to be inside your house, their rabies may spread if they happen to have contact with you.
Aside from this, their droppings also carry the risk of having diseases. One of these is histoplasmosis, which can be contracted from the fungus that grows on their droppings. These can spread through the air. Aside from this, the ticks and mites that they carry on their bodies may also bite humans.
How do you trap them?
Rat traps are available on the market. They can be used by putting food inside and waiting for a rat to come inside while the door closes the after. This is usually done inside the attic where they are usually found inside homes.
However, the problem is with the fact that bats are usually big. Some are even bigger than cats in some regions. Because of this, traps can only trap one at a time, making it an inconvenient problem. Another problem is the fact their droppings may gather when trapped, which would make your attic even more prone to carrying diseases. Also, even though bats aren’t usually aggressive, they may attempt to bite you if desperate. Rabid bats may infect you instantly if you aren’t careful enough.
Some also attempt to put food in sticky traps. Because the idea of touching bats may scare a lot of people, some leave them to starve in these traps, which would be an inhumane and slow process of killing them.
Not to mention, it may also be illegal inside your state to kill or hurt bats. This is due to wildlife conservation attempts.
Bat repellents
To ensure that bats do not enter your attics, you may try setting up some natural repellents to drive them away. Some of these include human hair, peppermint, and cinnamon. These are also applicable for some other pests like rodents and birds.
Another good repellent is bright lights. Because bats are nocturnal creatures, they generally prefer to stay in places that are dark. If they happen to be in your attic, you may try to install bright lights which can make them irritated, therefore driving them away from your house.
Some people also use predator urine from wolves and coyotes. These claim to drive away pests because they can remind them of the smell of predators that can hunt them, therefore, driving them away. Some also put mothballs as repellents.
Some also use electronic devices that emit high-frequency waves which they claim can drive away pests.
However, if you are planning to set up repellents, make sure that it does not harm or kill the bats. Some states have laws that make it illegal to do so.
Bat poison
Some bat poison are commercially available. However, it is generally not recommended to use poison for any type of pests as most of them are prey to large predators. When they eat poisoned food, they will not instantly die, meaning that predators can come and eat them faster. When the latter eats the bats out of natural instinct, they too will die. This will damage ecological balances and the order of the food chain.
In the end, it is better to use repellents and deterrents to keep these birds away. Bat traps still gives the possibility of the bats returning while bat poison can hurt the environment and other animals. Also, it is illegal to harm or kill bats in most states.
The best way to get rid of them
At the end, the best way to get rid of them is to make sure that they have no entry points towards your house. After all, they can only enter your house either through an unattended front door, an open window in the attic, or just generally any open holes in your through which they can fit through. By sealing these with mesh wires, you can prevent the entry of bats. This can also prevent the entry of other pests like rats, pigeons, and opossums.
As stated above, they are nocturnal creatures, which means that they will generally avoid places that are bright. A house that is filled with lights are commonly avoided by bats.
If they, however, manage to enter your house and multiply inside your attic, the best way to eradicate them would be to call for wildlife extermination services. After all, having many bats in your attic may lead to them being hostile to people. Aside from this, the combination of their droppings in a small space may cause diseases to be easily spread through the air.
Q&A
1. How do you get rid of bats in attics?
Because bats are nocturnal creatures, they will naturally look for places that are dark and away from human activity. This is why they mostly prefer to stay inside attics.
To successfully get rid of them, here is a step-by-step process
- First, observe them fly from inside your house during the night. This is because they only move during dusk. Observe their entry and exit points inside your house. It is usually an exposed window, hole, or even your main door.
- After that, seal these entry points. If it is a hole in the wall, cover it with wood. Exposed windows must be immediately closed. If the bats enter your house through your main door, make sure to only open whenever you will use it. This will prevent the bats from returning your house. After all, they can only hunt for food outside of your house.
- After days of not having these unwelcome visitors in your house, make sure to clean their droppings afterwards. It is crucial for you to disinfect the floor immediately to make sure that the diseases they carry won’t be spread in the air.
- It is important for you to remember that this should not be done during the summer because this is usually the time when bats mate. Doing this during this season may result to baby bats inside your house. They are still incapable of flying, and therefore, may starve to death inside your house. It is illegal to harm or kill bats, so it is important to prevent this from happening.
2. How do you get rid of bats in barns?
Because barns are dark and silent during the nights, they may be a good place for bats to stay in. It also has a huge space wherein they can easily hide.
To successfully get rid of them, here is a step-by-step process
- First, observe them fly from inside the barn during the night. This is because they only move during dusk. Observe their entry and exit points inside the barn. It is usually an exposed window, or hole.
- After that, seal these entry points. A barn usually has lot of open holes. To successfully cover this, you may use mesh wires so that ventilation will still be available inside.
- After days of not having these unwelcome visitors in the barn, make sure to clean their droppings afterwards. It is crucial for you to disinfect the floor immediately to make sure that the diseases they carry won’t be spread in the air.
- You may also try installing lights that can be turned on overnight as bats are known to be irritated of this.
- It is important for you to remember that this should not be done during the summer because this is usually the time when bats mate. Doing this during this season may result to baby bats inside your house. They are still incapable of flying, and therefore, may starve to death inside your house. It is illegal to harm or kill bats, so it is important to prevent this from happening.
3. How do you keep bats away?
Because bats are nocturnal, they are naturally irritated of bright lights which may resemble sunlight. You may try installing these in places where they usually visit (like the attic). Other repellents include predator urine, human hair, and cinnamon.
Types of bats
If you happen to see bats around you area, it might be better for you to know about which type they are. After all, the percentage of bats that are known to consume blood is only very little. Most of them eat insects, fruits, and the likes.
- Egyptian Fruit bat or the Flying Fox
They are called the Flying Fox because of their resemblance to foxes. Their most noticeable features include long snouts, round eyes, brown fur, and soft fur. Because of this, they resemble canine features, which explains their second name.
The difference between males and females is the large scrotal sacks of the former which is very prominent. This type of bats are mostly found in India and Africa. They are known to live in colonies with large numbers, with numbers that are more than a thousand.
They are known to eat fruits and nectar. Because of this, they are considered pests in farms as they often swoop to the lands to eat during the night, making it impossible for the farmers to capture them. Because of this, some of the fruits that are tended to are filled with pesticides, which kills off a large part of their population.
They use echolocation in order to look for food. This is when they use high-pitched squeals and sounds. The sound waves will then travel back to them to tell if something is far away or near them.
- Fruit bat
The fruit bat is most known for their excellent vision. Amongst all of the types of bats, they are known to be one of those with the best sight. This is especially helpful for them.
An interesting anatomical fact is that their tongues are known to roll back down to their rib cages whenever not in use, meaning that it does not rest in their mouths. Their teeth are known to be very sharp, capable of penetrating through the fleshes of fruits.
Fruit bats are known to eat fruits and insects. Whenever they eat fruit, though, they will only penetrate until the nectar of it contrary to popular belief that they swallow the whole food to consume it.
Their known predators include humans, snakes, and weasels, which may attack them from their hiding spots. They are known to hide in dark places, specifically those that are near sources of water.
- Vampire bats
These bats are responsible for the reputation of bats being bloodthirsty creatures. They are known for giving way to myths and folklore to flourish, ones that stay even to today’s popular culture.
The biggest reason for this is the fact that they do rely on blood to feed. They are known for opening their mouths wide enough for their teeth to be shown, which is often a scary sight for many. What makes it even scarier is the fact their teeth are sharp enough to pierce through animal skin. They will puncture through the skin and then start to suck on the blood of their prey.
They are also known to have strong legs, which makes it possible for them to walk. If they do not want direct confrontation, they may attempt to follow a bleeding prey which may leave behind a trail of blood for them to drink.
Although creatures that drink blood for food isn’t rare, an interesting fact for this type of bat is that they are the only mammals to do so. As if being a winged one isn’t unique enough, their diet is also distinct for them. There is no known evolutionary reason for this.
The chemical in their bodies that allows this to happen without the blood being clotted inside their bodies is called Draculin, which is found in their saliva.
Although their mere presence may look evil to some them, they are actually known to be one of the most social amongst the bats. The mothers are known to be protective of their offspring. When a mother does not return to their roosting nest, older ones will automatically assume its role. They are also known to be generous with their food. If a vampire bat is unable to get food for today’s hunt, a fellow bat will share its regurgitated blood to its ally, which feeds the former. This is a social trait that is rarely found amongst bats.
Their features are easily differentiated by their pudgy, rat-like face. Their faces are easily distinguishable from fruit bats which usually have long, canine-like snouts. Aside from their resemblance to rodents with their snouts, they are also alike with the former in terms of their ears which are pointed and raised.
They are often seen in Central and South America.
- Bumblebee bat
This type of bat is unique because of its small size. It is the smallest type of bat which makes them capable of squeezing through tiny holes. It is actually very small that it may be smaller than the hands of most humans.
Another term for it is Hog-nosed bat, which is explained by their flat noses.
Their colors are unique from the others as their range from red to grey, which is opposite to the usual black or blue colors of bats. Even though they are tiny, their arms and legs are known to be quite strong.
Their main mechanism for traveling and seeing through the dark is by echolocation. By doing small noises and screeches, they estimate the distance of things in front of them. This helps them be able to navigate in the dark.
Another big contrast with them in comparison to other bats is the fact that their colonies are only made up of about a hundred to 500 bats, which is small in comparison to most species that have a minimum of at least a thousand.
Their main source of food is insects, which might be because of their small sizes. They are known to inhabit places that are near sources of water.
Because of their small size, they are particularly easy to hunt for large birds like eagles and hawks which can easily follow them. Aside from the mentioned ones, they are also hunted by terrestrial creatures like snakes and cats.
- Giant golden-crowned flying fox
This type of bats are known because of their gold color. Their snouts resemble foxes. They are known to be only seen in the Philippines, specifically in Mindanao.
An interesting fact about this creature is the fact that they regularly wash their bodies in the water, which is not done by most of the other types of bats.
They are known to eat fruits. After eating them, they will spread the seeds to nearby lands as to help it increase in number.
Because of the fact that they are only seen in the Philippines, their numbers are now endangered. They are often hunted by humans. Along with the constant deforestation in their areas, they are continuously decreasing in amount as time passes by.
If bat infestations and similar pest problems persist, the best solution would be to call for wildlife removal services.
