Are Bats Related to Rodents?

They look like they could be siblings or cousins at the very least so it is not surprising that people wonder if bats are related to rodents. Regardless of the relationship between bats and rodents, you will need a bat removal company to assist you if the flying mammals make their way inside your Milwaukee property.

Why People Tend to Think bats and Mice are Related

Though you may be tempted to view them as flying mice, bats have no connection to rodents. While rodents fall under the category of life forms known as Rodentia, bats belong to an entirely different group - the order of Chiroptera, a classification reserved only for bats. Bats and rodents do have a few things in common nonetheless. For one, they are both associated with diseases such as leptospirosis and they are both known for intrusion in human homes, especially in the winter. They also have a similar body covering –fur. Perhaps the greatest similarity is the phobia that many people have when it comes to these two wildlife species. Interestingly, while bats bear no relation to rodents, they do have some family members in the wildlife world. These include pangolin and whales.

What Sets Bats Apart From Other Wildlife Species

Bats are unique in a few ways. One of those unique traits is their use of echolocation to navigate the night skies. Even though bats have been labelled as blind they aren’t. In fact, most bat species have vision quality that is comparable to that of human beings and one species, the fruit bat can see color and have eyes that adjusts to light in a manner similar to those of cats.

Other Interesting Bat Facts

If you have a bat phobia this next piece of information may prove comforting. When bats appear to be swooping towards your hair to get entangled in it, this is actually not so. A bat that is heading towards you is most likely trying to get to an insect that is hovering over your head or nearby. Another comforting fact for those who are apprehensive about bats is that most bats eat only insects or fruit. Only three of the more than 1100 bat species of the world consume blood and when they do they prefer to dine on animals like cattle, not human beings. Additionally, these vampire bats live primarily in Latin America. Bats have also been getting a bad rap for being carriers of rabies. The truth though is that while they are susceptible to the disease, they are not often carriers. These flying mammals are definitely not the monsters they’ve been made out to be though cultural folklore and the entertainment industry. Instead, they are gentle, intelligent and shy. They are also quite keen on hygiene as they practice cleansing actions similar to those of cats. They are also quite helpful to the ecosystem as they not only help to increase and maintain green spaces by scattering seeds as they fly but also control the insect population by feeding on them. They definitely deserve more credit than they receive. They also deserve humane treatment when they find themselves in human-occupied spaces.

Bat Intrusion? The Experts Can Help

When bats find their way inside your home, an occurrence that tends to be more likely in the winter than in other seasons, the most effective solution can be found in the services provided by an expert bat removal company like Skedaddle.  At the end of the day, Skedaddle’s objective is always the same as yours - returning your Milwaukee home to a bat free state.