Bats are one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. While they may look creepy, homeowners need to understand the importance of bats. Bats play an important role in our ecosystem’s health and help keep the population of insects such as mosquitoes in check. Here you will learn about the importance of bats, the threats they are facing and how an expert can safely and humanely rid them from your home.
The Role of Bats
Bats play a crucial role in pest control, plan pollution and seed dispersal. Experts estimate that bats consume enough insects to save the U.S. corn industry $1 billion per year in crop damage. Across other agricultural system segments, bats save U.S. taxpayers more than $3 billion each year. While some varieties of bats eat harmful insects, others provide critical pollination to a multitude of plants. Bats are the primary pollinator of a variety of plants like bananas, agaves, and cloves. Further, bats are responsible for as much as 90% of the seed dispersal in rainforests worldwide.
- Pest control: Not all varieties of bats consume insects but the types that do are called insectivorous. Bats are active during the night and the pests they consume result in more than $4 billion worth of pest control annually in the U.S. When bats consume pests, farmers don’t need to spend as much money on pesticides and there are fewer insects around to damage crops.
- Pollinators: The tropical areas of North and South America are heavily reliant on bats for pollination and seed dispersal. Bats are the sole pollinators of many plants, such as the blue agave plant. Without bats, the agave plant would likely become existent within a short period.
- Seed dispersal: Not all bats eat insects. Many types of bats are herbivorous. Fruit-eating bats play a vital role in maintaining plants and forests by dispersing seeds. Without seed dispersal, plant diversity would suffer and some plants may become extinct.
Threats to Bats
Bat populations are declining around the world. Many bats are killed unnecessarily by people who do not understand their value. Many people view them as blood-sucking pests that spread diseases and scare children. The fact that bats require shelter while they hibernate during the winter months also puts them at a disadvantage. Further, human activity and deforestation are destroying bat habitats and forcing them to seek shelter in populated areas where they are feared and often exterminated.
Humane Bat Removal
While bats play an essential role in the environment, you do not want them taking up residence in your home. There are ways to encourage bats to seek refuge elsewhere without harming them. Constructing bat boxes is a great way to encourage bats to build their nests elsewhere. Another way is to seal all possible entry points in your home before the bats have a chance to enter. Bats tend to enter homes through small holes or openings in the attic. They can crunch up their bodies and enter spaces as small as ¼ of an inch. Therefore, you need to hire an expert to look for and seal up any breaches in your home.
Rely on an Expert
No homeowner wants to deal with a bat infestation in their attic. While bats are usually harmless, it is best if humans and bats are kept apart. Do not attempt to remove or touch bats without the assistance of an expert. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control specializes in humane bat removal. Our technicians use specialized tools and removal techniques that can remove bats quickly and safely. Contact us today to schedule a home inspection if you have found evidence of a bat infestation.
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