Many of the creatures that pest control companies in Bucks County encounter on a daily basis are highly undesirable. However, this is not the case with big brown bats. These animals are critical to the local ecosystem. Still, this does not mean that they belong inside homes and commercial buildings.
Big brown bats have huge appetites for insects. Accordingly, they perform an essential service by providing natural pest control. This means that it is sensible to support a healthy population of these bats in the local region.
Unfortunately, these bats are an endangered species. To preserve their numbers, it is essential that these animals be approached with care. This means that even if the bats have begun roosting in the attic of a building, it is crucial that they not be molested. In fact, it is against the law to take any action that would deliberately harm big brown bats.
Nonetheless, close contact with these animals and their waste products is highly detrimental. They transmit various diseases to people, and they can cause wholesale destruction in the buildings that they inhabit. Consequently, it is fundamentally desirable to evict these unwanted guests.
Licensed pest management professionals know precisely how to accomplish this in accordance with the law. Their methods are designed to protect both the animals and the people who live or work in the infested buildings. Thanks to their support and assistance, it is possible to end big brown bat infestations safely, conveniently and effectively.
WHAT DO
BIG BROWN
BATS LOOK LIKE?
Most bats are quite small, especially the ones found in this region. Nonetheless, adult big brown bats are the largest of the local species at average lengths of between four and five inches. Total wingspan is approximately 12 inches, and the bat is covered in dark brown fur that is smooth and shiny. Its face, wing membranes and tail all are brown as well. Distinguishing characteristics of the big brown bat include its fleshy lips, rounded ears and broad nose.
WHAT DO
BIG BROWN
BATS EAT?
Wherever big brown bats live, they eat enormous amounts of bugs. Many of these are considered by people to be pests, which is one of the reasons why these bats are such a desirable species. They forage for food at night, seeking mosquitoes, beetles, flies, gnats and other insects.
Because several of the types of bugs that the bats prefer to eat have a semi-aquatic lifestyle, it is more common to find dense populations of bats in areas where there is a body of water, marshy land or poor drainage.
WHERE DO
BIG BROWN
BATS LIVE?
With a somewhat mild climate, Bucks County provides ideal habitat for the big brown bat. However, members of this species are found across the length and breadth of North and South America. This means that it is a highly adaptable species.
It is common for big brown bats to use more than one roost. Each one has a designated purpose. One is used for hibernation during the winter. The others are used as either daytime or nighttime roosts. A cave or an abandoned mine serves as an ideal roost, but these animals also are known for making use of rock piles and woodpiles.
A man-made shelter that offers quiet, dark spaces can be a perfect roost. Big brown bats frequently utilize attics, chimneys and fireplaces as roosts. Even a wall void can serve this purpose.
Sometimes, big brown bats do not roost within buildings but on their exteriors. They may be seen dangling from eaves, overhangs and the back sides of shutters. Far from being harmless, this activity also can cause damage to the structure.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY
BIG BROWN
BATS
For such a beneficial species, it is a bit of a shock when property owners discover just how destructive an infestation of big brown bats is. Damage is caused each time the animals enter or leave through a hole in the building's exterior. Significant staining may be observed around these openings, and it is virtually impossible to remove.
Considerable harm is caused by the bat's waste products, which feature abnormally large amounts of uric acid. This substance is extremely corrosive. When it comes into contact with wood, masonry, bricks and other common construction materials, it immediately begins to break them down. Unless the property owner acts fast, the damage will flourish. Repairing it can be costly and time-consuming.
ARE
BIG BROWN
BATS AGGRESSIVE?
Big brown bats do not intentionally act with aggression toward people. In fact, they practice avoidance as much as possible. When they roost in and around human habitations, encounters become all-but-inevitable.
Big brown bats occasionally fly into rooms in a building that people are occupying. In these circumstances, both bats and people are liable to panic. However, it is always wise to remain calm in this situation. Calmly throw open all of the doors and windows that lead to the outdoors. The bat has echolocation abilities that will lead it through one of these openings.
It is never recommended to swat at a bat or otherwise to try to get it to go outside. This can lead to bites and scratches from the frightened animal.
DO
BIG BROWN
BATS CARRY DISEASE?
It is an unfortunate reality that big brown bats and people are meant to keep a distance from each other. This is because contact with the animals easily can make people sick. Of course, it is not necessary for a person to physically contact a bat in order to contract a disease. Simply being exposed to the animal's waste products is enough to cause illness.
Rabies is a concern with big brown bats, but the more common threat is Histoplasmosis. Fungus in bat guano may be accidentally inhaled, especially while occupying an infested building. This fungus causes a lung infection in people that can be very serious. Until the infestation is ended and a thorough cleanup of the premises is conducted, the threat of infection remains.
HOW TO DETECT
BIG BROWN
BATS
Signs of big brown bats issue include:
• An ammonia-like odor detected indoors • Unusual staining is seen on the building's exterior • Damage is apparent on attic vents • Scratching and squeaking sounds emanate from behind walls and above ceilings
HOW TO PREVENT
BIG BROWN
BATS
To help prevent big brown bat problems the following steps should be taken:
• Look for fissures in the exterior of the structure that bats may be using • Hire a pest control company to eliminate bat food sources • Correct standing water issues and leaks in plumbing lines • Place caps on all chimneys • Provide bat houses on the premises
HOW TO TREAT FOR BATS
Bat control can be complicated and potentially dangerous involving many procedures that are governed by state law. A licensed pest management professional should always be consulted to ensure safe and proper bat removal, decontamination, and prevention.
