Nuisance Bats
Bat Overview
There are 40 different species of bats that reside in the United States. Most of those species are insectivores and they serve an important service in nature. They are a mammal that is integral in keeping the insect populations in check so that they do not get out of control. Although they are an animal that provides a real service to people, there are times when they can be a nuisance animal. The issues can arise when they decide to make their home inside the attic of a person’s home.
Bat Species In The Houston, Texas Area
- Eastern Red Bat
- Seminole Bat
- Hoary Bat
- Northern Yellow Bat
- Big Brown Bat
- Evening Bat
- Eastern Pipistrelle
- Silver-haired Bat
- Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Size Of Bats
Some bats are small enough that they can enter into your attic through an opening only a quarter of an inch big. They are able to utilize small cracks around windows, vents, and chimneys. They are also able to wiggle in through the holes where wiring is running into the home. They can also find their way in through broken soffit boards along the edge of your roof or areas where the roof has been damaged and the shingles have been pulled away. Any of these openings can be sufficient enough in size to give bats a way in. They are not going to need a lot of room.
Bats In The Attic
There are a few reasons as to why bat will decide to make their way into your attic. It may be a place that is available when other options may not be. They may be in a hurry to find a place to roost because they haven’t found anything else that will suffice. The attic they have found may be a location that is central to where they have found a good feeding area and they do not want to have to travel far from where they are feeding. It could be approaching the time of year when they are getting ready to hibernate for the winter and an attic offers optimal protection and will keep them warm during the season.
Bat Removal
Once it has been recognized that there are bats in the attic, they need to be removed as quickly as possible. The best option is to call in professionals, like The Critter Team, to get bats humanely removed from the attic. They are the kind of animal that will require knowledge on how to safely remove them and relocate them so that they do not return. Bats need to be removed as quickly as possible because of the damage they can do and the health risks they can pose.
Clean Up
Bats are not the kind of animal that a person is going to want to be living in close proximity to for an extended period of time. They can carry illnesses like rabies and parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites. Bat poop can also be a catalyst for fungi that can spread histoplasmosis if the spores are inhaled by people. Once they are removed, it is necessary to properly clean up the bat guano that they have created because the histoplasmosis fungi spores can still get people sick even after the bats are gone. Bats are the type of nuisance that needs to be dealt with by professionals with the right knowledge and the ability to educate the homeowner.