BAT FAQ

How serious is the risk of contracting rabies from bats?
Bats do carry rabies. However, the incidence of rabies in bats is much lower than in raccoons, foxes, cats or dogs. Less than 0.5 percent of bats contract rabies. Unlike other rabid animals bats do not become aggressive and die soon after contracting rabies. So the likelihood of getting rabies from a bat is very small. If you suspect exposure to the rabies virus, contact a health professional immediately. For more information about bats and rabies, visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website or the Centers for Disease Control website.

 

What should I do if I find a bat in my house?
Remain calm. Upsetting yourself or the bat will do neither any good. If the bat is flying around, close all doors to the room to isolate the bat in one room. Leave open one door or window to the outside to allow the bat to escape. It will usually find its way out. You may also use a butterfly net to capture a bat in flight, approaching from behind to avoid detection. If the bat is at rest, approach it quietly from behind with an inverted box, coffee can, or other such container. Place the container over the resting animal to trap it against a wall or floor. Then slide a piece of thin cardboard under the open end to contain the animal for transport outside. Although handling bats is not recommended, you also may pick it up if you are wearing leather work gloves.

 

How do I keep bats from getting into my house?
To eliminate—or exclude—bats from a house, you must locate their point of entry, prevent them from re-entering, and permanently seal the opening. Bats may enter houses through ungrated chimneys, small openings around plumbing, or any crack at least ¼ inch by 1½ inches. Place bird netting (found in garden centers) over their point of entry to allow bats to exit, but not re-enter. Do not exclude bats during the summer months when nursing young may be present. Once all bats have been excluded, you can seal entry points. The use of poisons to eradicate bats from houses is not recommended.

 

Which bats occur in North Carolina?
The following is a list of bats known to occur in North Carolina, with both common and scientific names (in parentheses). For details on North Carolina bats, see Mammals of the Carolinas, by William David Webster, Jim Parnell and Walter C. Biggs. Jr., UNC Press, 1985, available in the Museum store. You can also learn more about North Carolina bats in the Mountains to the Sea exhibit in the Museum. Source

BATS: WHAT’S REALLY SCRATCHING AND DARTING AROUND IN YOUR ATTIC?

If you hear a lot of scratching and darting around in your attic, walls, and basement, the first thing that comes to mind is rats. Although rodents can seek shelter in homes to escape the cold weather in North Carolina, bats can also use human structures to keep warm.

Like rats, bats can potentially enter the main rooms of your house and wreak havoc during the night. In addition, if the mammals hibernate in large numbers, they can take up residence in your home’s walls and basement.

Don’t let your bat problem leave you in fear this cold season. Here are more things to know about North Carolina’s bats and what you can do to get rid of yours safely.

ARE THE BATS IN NORTH CAROLINA DANGEROUS?

One of the biggest misconceptions about bats is that they’re evil creatures of the night that attack humans and other animals without cause. Although a small percentage of bats can carry rabies and an airborne fungus, bats aren’t dangerous blood suckers that attack unprovoked.

In most cases, bats that contract rabies die soon after they become ill. In addition, the bats in North Carolina play a crucial role in keeping the insect population down, including the pests that bite and carry pathogens.

North Carolina is home to three types of bats: the small brown bat, the large brown bat, and the Brazilian free-tailed bat. All three bat species can frequent the establishments of humans in the cold season.

The small and large brown bat species are brown or some variations of brown while the Brazilian species can be reddish or blackish in color. Because bats tend to come out at dusk or during the night when food is more prevalent, you may have problems identifying the species in your attic.

State and federal laws protect many bat species, so it’s important that you don’t try to eliminate the pest problem yourself. However, you can safely remove the bats from your house by contacting a reputable wildlife and pest control company like Triangle Wildlife Removal & Pest Control Inc.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SOLVE YOUR BAT PROBLEM?

Wildlife technicians will generally examine your attic to see how the bats entered the room in the first place, which includes checking the gutters, soffits, chimney flashing, and other areas around and on the roof. It’s extremely important that you allow the specialists to work unhindered.

If bats do live in your attic, the extra noise might frighten or provoke them into flight or an attack. Safety is always a main concern for homeowners and the removal professionals assisting them.

These experts will also check the walls, basement and other locations around your home to help detect the presence of bats. If you have a large colony living in your house, they might spread out to accommodate the size. Wildlife experts will also look for bat feces and urine in these locations and the places mentioned above.

Be sure to tell the technicians about any strange noises you hear inside the house, such as your bedrooms or kitchen. Smaller bats can enter rooms by squeezing through air vents and registers. Wildlife removal specialists may sanitize any vents that show signs of bat activity.

After they complete the inspection and the bats are removed, the technicians will generally seal or secure every bat entrance they find. Exclusion is often the best way to keep bats out of your home. Trapping may occur but this is something you may discuss with the wildlife workers who assist you.

Finally, keep your home free of bats by scheduling regular service checks with your friendly wildlife technicians. The specialists will discuss the best schedule for your needs when they complete their work.

To learn more about the bats in North Carolina or your home, contact the professional wildlife technicians at Triangle Wildlife Removal & Pest Control Inc today.