Most people are not aware that their Ewing area home or place of business is vulnerable to a bat infestation until bats are comfortably roosting in the attic or chimney. Certain signs indicate that bats have moved include unexplained staining on outdoor walls, sounds of rustling coming from above the ceiling or a curious odor in some of the rooms all may be signals that bats are present.
In fact, the United States is home to more than 40 species of bats. Only a small number of these is encountered in New Jersey, and although they are species that are valuable to the ecosystem, they are not animals that should be indoors.
If you believe that your residence, office or other building is hosting a bat infestation, then it is imperative to act quickly to hire a bat exclusion expert.
WHAT ATTRACTS BATS?
Bats come into buildings seeking shelter. A dark, remote, undisturbed space is desirable for roosting, and that's precisely the kind of habitat that attics, chimneys, fireplaces and wall voids provide.
The bats look for any opening in building exteriors through which they can squeeze. This opening could be the hole where plumbing or electrical wiring enters the building. An unprotected vent in the roof or an unevenly hung window are other possible entrances. Bats tend to be small, and this enables them to make use of tiny gaps or cracks.
Most of the bats that are discovered roosting indoors are female. They use these indoor roosts as safe places to raise their young.
WILL BATS LEAVE A HOUSE ON THEIR OWN?
When the sun goes down, bats leave their roost for a night of hunting. However, unless they are prevented from doing so, they will return to the indoor roost before the sun rises the next morning.
The key to keeping bats out is to have bat exclusion equipment installed on the building's exterior. This cleverly designed equipment allows the bats to leave without causing them harm. Nonetheless, the bats find that they cannot get back inside when they return in the morning. This forces them to find a new place to roost.
Bat exclusion may be complicated by the presence of baby bats. Babies do not leave the roost at night. Accordingly, bat exclusion technicians are trained to only employ bat exclusion equipment when they are certain that no babies are present.
ARE BATS AGGRESSIVE?
While bats aggressively hunt insects, they prefer not to encounter people. Despite this aversion, many people remain convinced that bats instinctively want to bite or otherwise harass people.
While bats would rather not get too close to people, accidents do happen. People may be bitten or scratched during these incidents, and it is wise to seek immediate medical attention after such an incident because diseases can be transmitted between bats and people.
DO BATS BITE HUMANS WHILE SLEEPING?
This is a popular myth that Hollywood and various books have perpetuated over the decades. Bats are extremely unlikely to bite people, even if those people are sleeping. In fact, the bats that typically are found in the local region exclusively eat insects. They simply have no reason to seek out and bite sleeping people.
Bites can occur, but they are rare. If a bite does happen, it may occur in an enclosed space, such as when a bat inadvertently flies into an occupied room. This often causes the people in the room to panic. They may try to swat at the bat. The bat is in a similar state of panic, and it may try to defend itself by biting.
It is possible to avoid this situation by using high-quality screens on doors and windows that are open at night. Should a bat accidentally come indoors, it is wise to simply open all exterior doors and windows so that the bat can find its way back outside.
DO BATS CARRY DISEASES?
It is possible for bats to carry and transmit a number of illnesses. Perhaps the most well-known of these is rabies. Although rabies infection rates in bats are not as high as most people fear, infection remains a possibility whenever there is a confrontation between a person and a bat. People who have been in an enclosed space with a bat or who made physical contact with a bat are encouraged to seek immediate medical testing.
People who accidentally ingest food that is contaminated with bat droppings or who come into physical contact with bats also may develop salmonellosis. Additionally, bat infestations may expose people to mites, fleas, ticks and other external parasites. Any of these pests can transmit diseases to humans.
ARE BAT DROPPINGS TOXIC?
Perhaps one of the most common illnesses associated with a bat infestation is a lung infection called histoplasmosis. Certain fungus spores in bat droppings called histoplasma capsulatum are responsible for spreading this disease. While people cannot spread this sickness to each other, anyone who has been inside a building where bat droppings are present is at risk for developing histoplasmosis.
The people most vulnerable to this illness are construction workers, HVAC installers and chimney sweeps because they are most likely to spend time in places where bat droppings may be found. Nonetheless, other people are at risk in any building with a bat problem.
WHAT IS BAT EXCLUSION?
Many bats are endangered species that are protected by law. Accordingly, pest management professionals seek to exclude bats from buildings rather than destroy them.
Technicians install bat exclusion devices on buildings. These may consist of tubes or netting that allow bats to leave the building but make it impossible for them to return. When all of the bats are gone, the entry points that they were using are sealed up against future infestations.
WILL BATS COME BACK AFTER EXCLUSION?
Bats will try to come back, but if the exclusion equipment is expertly installed, they will be unable to get indoors. This forces them to look for an alternative roost. More permanent protection is provided by covering up the entrances that the bats were using. Bat exclusion technicians further will seal up additional holes, cracks and gaps that bats or other pests could use to get inside the building.
CAN I REMOVE BATS FROM MY HOUSE?
Because the process of bat exclusion is both dangerous and complicated, it is unwise for people to attempt it. Bat exclusion specialists have training and specialized equipment that enable them to safely and efficiently ensure that bats cannot come back.
Additionally, it is not enough to exclude the bats from the building. The technician performs a thorough cleanup of the formerly infested space and repair work as well. These are indispensable parts of the process because bat droppings remain toxic long after the bats are gone. Exposure to droppings and urine can make people sick, and these substances also cause construction materials to decay.
HOW DO YOU REMOVE BAT DROPPINGS?
Bat exclusion technicians exercise great care when it comes to removing all traces of bat droppings from the interior of a building. Doing so is critical to ensuring that it is safe for people to continue to occupy the building.
The technicians work to remove all bat waste products while protecting the rest of the building's interior at the same time. If contaminated insulation is discovered, it will be removed and replaced. Similarly, any wood or other building components that were damaged by bat droppings will be replaced.
This ensures the health and safety of everyone who regularly occupies the building.
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.
