Date Posted: June 24, 2020
Category: Bats
There are over 980 species of bats worldwide, 40 here in America, and only 8 native to Maine. Out of these 8, only a few are known to be pests. If bats are living in your outbuildings or up in your attic, you already know what we are talking about. The question is, what can be done about bats around your Southern Maine property? Is there a safe way to remove them and keep them out? To prevent bats around your home and property, here is the best advice we can give you.
Little Brown Bats
Out of all the species of bats here in Maine, the little brown bat is the most likely to cause trouble around your home. Belonging to the genus Myotis (mouse-eared bats) little brown bats are most commonly found infesting attics, outbuildings, and other structures people do not frequent often. An average adult can grow to be upwards of 7 ½ inches long and has a wingspan of 6 to 15 inches. Little brown bats are equipped with four legs which they use for crawling in the rare instances they are not flying or hanging upside down to sleep.
You may already know this, but all bats are nocturnal. This means they sleep during the day and are active at night. This can be particularly annoying if they have taken shelter in your attic since the noises they make can be disturbing at all hours of the night.
Are Bats Helpful Or Hurtful?
Turns out bats are just as dangerous as they are beneficial. Out in nature, bats play an important role by pollinating flowers and spreading their seeds. Many species of bats also help to control insect populations. They do this by eating them.
As helpful as bats can be, they can also be dangerous to humans. Like birds and rodents, bats can be carriers of dangerous diseases. Recently more problems have been associated with bats, specifically that they were reported to spread COVID and Sars. Needless to say, if anyone offers a meal with bat in it, say no. Bats are unclean and should not be eaten. When inside homes, bats put you and your family at risk with the fecal matter and urine they excrete. These excrements can erode at walls, floors, and other items around areas they infest. All around, bats are not safe to have in your home or outbuildings.
Bats can also carry rabies. If you suspect your home or outbuilding has a bat problem, do not try to interact with them as a bite from a bat could get you very sick.
Bat Prevention Tips
If your home or outbuilding does not already have an active bat infestation, there are some things you can do to keep it that way. Here are some prevention tips we recommend.
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Use a caulking gun to seal any holes in your home’s exterior that are bigger than a quarter of an inch in diameter.
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Repair more extensive damage to your home or outbuildings that might let bats inside.
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Make sure your chimney is equipped with a bat-proof cap.
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Cover openings bats might use to get inside with clear plastic sheeting or bird netting.
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Make sure all of your door and window screens are in good working order.
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Fill electrical and plumbing holes with steel wool.
How To Get Bats Out Of Your Home
When bats settle down inside your home or outbuildings, what can you do? We recommend letting the professionals here at Big Blue Bug Solutions help. Our team has the safety gear and knowledge to properly remove bats from your structures. We also have methods to keep bats away. Whatever your home’s pest needs are, we are confident we have a solution.
Give us a call today to find out more about our bat control or to schedule a service visit for your home.
