Bats

WHAT WE DO FOR YOU

Bats are small, warm-blooded, mammals with the unique ability to fly. Bats use echolocation to find small insects and can eat up to three times their body weight in insects each night. Bats can roost in caves and cliffs, but most often form colonies in homes and buildings. Once inside, bats enjoy the consistent temperatures offered by walls and attics. Although colonies can vary greatly in size, bats can cause building damage and pose serious health risks.

Bats are the most active during the summer. Unlike most wildlife, who breed in the spring, female bats birth their pups in early summer. Young bats rely on their mothers to survive for 6-8 weeks until they are able to fly and catch food on their own. A mother bat will normally give birth to one pup per year, which is why the population grows at a much slower rate than many other wildlife species. The bat population is essential to controlling insect populations, which is one reason why they are protected in many jurisdictions.

Bat colonies cannot be removed during June or July in most areas of North America as doing so would orphan the babies. What we can do during this time is to prepare homes for bat removals in mid-August, when the young bats have matured enough to be able to fly and survive on their own.

Bats are nocturnal creatures, and most, especially little brown bats, emerge from their roosts 2-3 hours after dusk to feed. Their diet consists primarily of flying insects such as mosquitoes, beetles and moths. Insects are also most active at night, and in the summer, which explains why bats follow the same schedule. They spend much of the later summer and early fall feeding heavily in preparation for winter hibernation.

Bats roost in dark, cool areas like caves, tree cavities, and low traffic areas of our homes like attics, walls and chimneys. Be sure to check these areas of your home for signs of bats regularly, especially during summertime.

Bat Facts

Although bats provide a very important role in our environment (a single bat can eat up to 3,000 insects, including mosquitoes, in one night), they can also be dangerous if they roost in buildings or come into contact with people. It’s a myth that bats in Canada fly in your hair or suck your blood, but there are many other problems they can cause, leaving many wondering how to get rid of bats.

FACT: Bats can bite you when you’re sleeping or if you attempt to catch them. If inhaled, bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, which is characterized by flu-like symptoms. The very young, very old and those with impaired immune systems are at greatest risk for severe illness.

FACT: Bats hibernate when temperatures dip below 10°C (e.g. September to April) and young bats may be left to die if a parent is killed. They typically feed on a 24-48 hour cycle – removing the active bats from your house may mean you’re only catching half the colony.

FACT: A bat can fit through a hole the size of a dime. Simply closing holes doesn’t work. Bats will often find another way out (and back in again) and if they die in your house or business, they will cause odour and damage.

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