Why Is Humane Bat Removal So Important?
Bats are federally protected animals, and require more care and special handling than pests like mice and rats. But if bats are so dangerous to have in the home, why are they so well-protected? Well, the answer comes down to their ecological importance and the fact that bat populations have been on the decline due to loss of habitat and white-nose syndrome. Don’t worry, Critter Authority offers the best humane bat removal and exclusion services in the Richmond, Henrico, and Hanover areas. We make sure that your attic is free of bats and restored to its former state, while also ensuring the bats are safe and allowed to move on to a more appropriate nesting site. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at (804) 492-2804!
Bat in Attic Dangers
Bats are attracted to your attic because it provides a dark, warm shelter, safe from predators and the elements, much like their natural cave habitats. Bats do not rip through roofs or soffits like raccoons and squirrels, instead, they squeeze through the tiniest cracks to get inside your attic space. Once the bats have gotten inside, they will start roosting upside down, hanging from the ceiling, gable vents, wooden beams, or any other surface they can grab onto. Bats will then leave behind their droppings, also known as guano, inside your attic insulation. If you have an entire bat colony in your attic, the piles of guano can be massive, and might even collapse your ceiling in extreme cases. Bat droppings contain the spores that cause the fungal lung infection histoplasmosis, and these spores are stirred up into the air when the guano is moved. Never try to remove bat guano yourself, always leave it to a professional with PPE equipment to avoid inhaling these spores.
Bats may also get into your living areas from your attic, which can be very dangerous, as bats are one of the most prominent carriers of the rabies virus. While the myth of bats flying into your hair is not true, it is still imperative that you treat any bat exposure as a possible rabies exposure. So, if bats are so dangerous, why are they protected?
Bats And Local Ecosystems
One of the main reasons why bats are so protected is because of their crucial importance to the local ecosystems. Bats are natural pest control agents, as a single bat can eat up to 7,000 insects in one night. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, bats eat enough harmful insect pests to save farmers up to $3 BILLION per year in crop damage and pesticide costs. If you live in a residential area, bats can keep pesky flies and mosquitoes away from your yard.
When you think of pollinators, you probably think of bumblebees or hummingbirds, but did you know that bats are also excellent pollinators? Some bats feed on the nectar of plants, and pollinate important crops like peaches, cloves, bananas and especially agaves, which they are the sole pollinator for. Bats also love to eat fruit, which makes them crucial for seed dispersal.
White Nose Syndrome
The huge ecological importance of bats isn’t the only reason why these animals are federally protected, as bats also face population decline due to a loss of natural habitats and the threat of white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome is a disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, that first appeared in New York in 2006 and quickly spread across the continent, killing millions of bats. White-nose syndrome is named for the white fuzz that appears around the muzzle and wing areas of infected bats. The infection attacks during hibernation, causing the bat to use up its energy reserves before spring, or wake up early, which results in the bat starving to death. Bats can spread WNS to each other, catch it from the areas they are hibernating in, or, more likely, an unwitting human can spread the fungus on their clothing, camping gear, or shoes while hiking. While WNS cannot spread to humans, it is very fatal for bats, and has caused massive population declines in once-plentiful species. The population loss caused by WNS has made bats a protected species that must be removed with care.
Humane Methods of Bat Removal
Because bats are so ecologically important and in such danger, it is imperative that they are removed as safely as possible, with as little disruption as possible. One of the best methods of humane bat removal is the use of a one-way door or valve. This involves one of our technicians carefully inspecting the home for bat entry points, and sealing all of them off except the main one, which will be fitted with a device called a one-way door that allows the bat to leave, but does not provide an adequate surface for the bat to land and crawl up, so the bat will be left unable to get back inside your attic, and instead will settle down somewhere else. Another humane way to prevent bats from getting in is to install a bat house close to your property. Bat houses are made to be a safe place for bats to roost, so they won’t set up shop inside your attic.
Best Bat Removal in Richmond, Henrico and Hanover | Critter Authority
Removing bats safely and humanely without causing any harm is very important, as bats are crucial for insect control, pollination, and seed dispersion, and their populations are taking a massive hit due to the spread of White-nose syndrome. If you have bats inside your attic in the Richmond, Henrico, or Hanover areas, contact the experts at Critter Authority today for safe, humane bat removal. You can trust that our team will always remedy your bat problem and get your attic back in shape while ensuring the health and safety of the bats. We offer FREE estimates, so call us today to get on the schedule at (804) 492-2804!