Category Archives: Bats

Are Bats Aggressive?

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Many people immediately panic out of fear when they discover a bat in their house. This is mostly a result of a stigma influenced by Halloween, bedtime stories, vampire movies, and more. But the truth is, there is not much to be afraid of in terms of your own safety, because bats are not naturally aggressive mammals, and are not likely to “attack” a human. The only way you can be harmed by a bat is if they are infected with a disease or virus, and that virus is passed along via blood, saliva, or other bodily fluids from direct contact. If you are simply in the same vicinity as a bat, there is no need to panic. Simply take a breath, and then review some tips for handling a bat in the house. Continue reading to learn more about the surprisingly docile demeanor of bats, and what to do if one gets into your house.

Bats in the House

In the case that a bat has somehow made it into your house, there are a few things to remember about them before you run for the door screaming for help. For one, bats are not aggressive mammals. As mentioned before, they are not likely to attack a human. They would be simply too frightened to do anything of that nature. And although they are not known to harm humans intentionally, bats are known carriers of certain dangerous diseases, so it is best to avoid directly bodily contact with it. They are known to bite if provoked, so don’t get your fingers to close to its mouth, especially without heavy-duty gloves!

Second, bats that are perched off the ground, perhaps on a curtain rod or banister, are likely to take flight again. So if you approach a bat in your house that is in a high location, be prepared for it to fly away. But don’t be scared, they are flying to reach safety from you, not to attack you! Oppositely, if a bat is on the ground, it is not going to attempt flight again. Instead, they will crawl until they reach something they can climb. This is a good situation to be in because you can simply grab some gloves, goggles, and a long sleeve shirt and scoop it with a shoe box to release it outside. If you do this, be sure to release the bat somewhere high up, like a picnic table or tree branch, since you already know they can’t take flight from flat ground.

It is not suggested to try catching and releasing the bat, but if you insist on trying, the above method is a good start. It is better to simply open all doors and windows, and encourage the bat to fly back outside. This way, you can avoid direct contact with the bat, eliminating the potential of harming yourself or the bat. The best method of handling a bat in the house is to call a professional bat removal and control company. They retain the proper tools, licenses, and training to safely and humanely remove the bat and release it into a faraway habitat.

Louisville Bat Removal

Call 502-553-7622 for safe and humane bat removal in Louisville, Kentucky. We are DNR licensed and insured bat exclusionists with decades of experience in the wildlife control industry. We offer a wide range of bat removal and control services for residential and commercial properties. When you have a bat in the attic, we are the experts to trust for safe and efficient service you can afford! Call 502-553-7622 to get rid of bats in Louisville, KY today.

Northern Long-Eared Bats are on the U.S. Threatened Species List

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Under the endangered species act, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service added the Northern Long-Eared Bat to the list of threatened species in our country. The ruling when into effect in May of this year.

The difference between “threatened” and “endangered” is significant. A threatened species is predicted to become endangered in the foreseeable future; whereas an endangered species is soon to be extinct.

Although not yet facing extinction, this is a sad year for this incredible species, and we should take some time to learn more about Northern Long-Eared bats and why their populations are facing endangerment.

Northern Myotis

The Northern Long-Eared bat, formally known as Myotis Keenii, is commonly referred to as Northern Myotis or Myotis septentrionalis. It is a small bat native to North America, averaging sizes no more than 3 to 5 inches and weighing no more than an ounce or two. They are primarily found in the Mid to Eastern parts of the country, starting in states like Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, down through the Carolinas and even Alabama, and all the way up to Main and Canada.

Northern Long-Eared bats dwell in caves and wooded forests, roosting in trees during the day and searching for food at night. Being nocturnal, they are mostly active during the dusk, evening, and early morning hours, and then rest during the daytime. After a few days, they switch roosting areas, so they are often in search of new shelter at night as well.

As microbats do, they eat a wide variety of small insects, like moths, mosquitos, beetles, flies, gnats, and more. In the fall they migrate to caves and other similar locations to hibernate for the winter in populations of 100 bats or more. Emerging in March or April, Northern Long-Eared bats then breed and raise their young though the spring and summer.

White-Nose Syndrome is to Blame

One of the conclusions scientists and researchers have come to regarding the downfall of the Northern Long-Eared bat is that disease is the threat. White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a common disease that spreads easily and quickly among bat populations, and most all bats are at risk of contracting the illness. This disease seems to be the reason why this species of bat have now become a threatened one.

White-Nose Syndrome is a fungal disease that attacks the bat’s skin. It is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans and can be detected by a visible white fungal growth around the wings, snouts, and muzzles of bats; hence the moniker. Assumed to come from Europe, this disease is now wide-spread throughout North America and has wiped out over 5 million bats in just the past four years. White-Nose Syndrome can kill up to 98% of a bat population at a time. It is a serious threat to all species of bat, and mammal as well.

Protect Bats and Your Home

It is important to never harm, kill, catch, or trap bats under any circumstances. Not only are they an imperative part of our natural surrounding Eco-system, it is often against the law to do so anyway. If you have a bat in the attic, or bats around your house, it is best to call a professional wildlife removal company for safe and legal assistance. They use non-lethal methods to exclude bats, prevent future bat problems, and relocate bats to a faraway habitat.

Bat Removal Louisville

Call 502-553-7622 for prompt and professional bat removal in Louisville, Kentucky. We are DNR licensed and experienced wildlife rescue and control specialists that only use safe and humane methods of bat exclusion. We offer a wide range of services for residential and commercial properties, including minor structural damage repairs, bat removal and control, bat cleanup, bat proofing, and more. Call 502-553-7622 to learn how to protect bats and your home from bats in Louisville, KY and its surrounding counties.

Consider Installing a Bat House for Microbats

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Microbats can certainly be a nuisance animal for homes and buildings, but they also play an important role in our surrounding eco-system. For this reason, it is helpful to find a happy medium between bat control and bat preservation. Homes and properties located near wooded areas and bodies of water are prone to higher bat activity, and cannot entirely prevent bat presence on their lands. In cases like this, if you can’t beat them, join them. There are ways to control bat activity on your property, and one method is installing a bat house. Continue reading to learn tips for controlling bat presence on your property, as well as, the benefits of a bat house for microbats.

Bat Control and Prevention

Some homes are located in areas where bat presence is a guarantee and there is no way of completely eliminating bat populations. For these homes, it is wise to do whatever you can to prevent bats from entering or being attracted to your property. Hire a professional contractor to inspect the doors, windows, siding, and roof shingles on your home, and have them sealed to prevent animal intrusion. Then, take certain measures to keep bats off your property; for example, install motion sensor lighting, or sound machines outside to prevent bats from entering your premises. But precautions like these won’t keep bats away entirely, so there are other methods of bat control you can use to prevent bat damages and intrusion on your home. One helpful method is a bat house.

Bat Houses

Bat houses are perfect for microbats since they love to take shelter somewhere cozy, safe, and accessible. A bat house provides all of these elements for a bat, thwarting them from looking to your home as a means of shelter. A bat house attracts bats, and controls their location by keeping a certain distance between the home and the bat house. The best type of bat house is one that mimics the space between bark and tree, since bats generally spend their summer and winter months inside trees, under bridges, and in buildings. This means it should be narrow, dark, and insulated to stay warm. If you provide this sanctuary for bats, they will use it and stay far away from your own home.

When you wish to install a bat house, be sure to choose an area with the right elements. The location of the bat house should be in sun, at least 15 feet off the ground, and nearby a source of water. Although bats often take shelter in trees, it is not a good idea to place a bat house in a tree. This invites certain predators and other nuisance wildlife activity, and doesn’t allow the sun to naturally heat the inside since it’s blocked by branches.

To find the perfect bat house for your property, simple search and shop online or visit your local wildlife supply or garden store. They are relatively inexpensive, and range in price depending on the retailer, quality, and design. Choose one that you would like to roost in if you were a bat!

If you are experiencing bat infestation problems, or need to get rid of bats in the attic or other area in your home, call a licensed bat control contractor right away. They retain the proper tools, training, and equipment to safely and humanely remove bats and relocate them to a faraway habitat. Never harm, trap, or kill bats! Ask your wildlife contractor about installing a bat house and they will be happy to assist you.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control

Call Louisville Bat Removal and Control at 502-553-7622 to get rid of bats in the attic, or other part of your property. We are DNR licensed and retain several years of experience in the wildlife rescue and control industry. We provide a wide range of bat removal and control services for residential and commercial properties, using only safe and non-lethal methods of exclusion. Call 502-553-7622 to learn more about bat houses and bat control in Louisville, KY.

Do You Think Bats Are Blind?

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Who ever said they were “blind as a bat” has a lot of explaining to do! There are over 100 species of bat in the world and every single one can see fairly well. The truth is that bats are not blind at all; they just have different visual capacities than other animals. Because they are nocturnal, they use alternative senses as well to communicate and see at night. Continue reading to learn about the differences between major bat species when it comes to their eyesight and sight aptitude.

Megachiroptera Bat Species

There are two species of bats, Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. They are believed to share the same descendants, but overtime, evolved separately from each other. Megachiroptera bats are mostly medium and large in size. These megabats generally feed on fruits, nectar, and at times, fish or small animals. Additional terms for Megachiroptera bats include Flying Foxes, Fruit Bats, Megabats, and Old World Fruit Bats.

Megachiroptera bat species have large eyes and visual centers; allowing them to see better at night. They use their sight, as well as, their sense of smell to navigate in the dark and catch their prey. For example, a Flying Fox can also see during the day and in color as well! In fact, they cannot see or fly well on moonless nights, making them rely on their daytime vision.

Microchiroptera Bats

Microchiroptera bats are the smaller species of bat. They mostly eat insects and hunt them through the process of echolocation. Echolocation is the system that allows bats to navigate around, map out their surroundings, and catch their prey. It is like a sonar system that bounces high-frequency sounds off nearby objects; allowing them to grid their surroundings. You see, in mammals, there are two types of photo-receptors: cones and rods. Cones are primarily for daytime and color vision; whereas rods are for night vision. Without mentioning, you can already guess which species of bat has more of what. It’s not that micro bats do not have cones, they simply have under-developed ones compared to their sister species, the Mega bat.

Bat Removal Services in Louisville, Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for licensed bat removal services in Louisville, Kentucky. We provide several safe and humane, non-lethal bat control services for residential and commercial properties. Service include attic restoration and repairs, prevention, cleanup, exclusion, and more. Call 502-553-7622 for affordable bat removal and control in Louisville, KY and its surrounding neighborhoods.

Are You Hearing Bat Noises in Your House?

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Have you heard some strange noises in your home lately and you suspect they are coming from bats? Sometimes, homeowners hear scratching, squealing, chirp-like sounds commonly associated with bats, but the truth is, bats are fairly quiet creatures. You are more likely to SEE signs of bat infestation before you actually ever hear them. This includes seeing unusual stains on walls and ceilings (urine and guano stains most likely), gaps and openings in the exterior of the home (roof shingles, siding, etc.), and actual bats flying around your property.

This means, bat infestation problems tend to go on for quite some time before they are noticed by homeowners. And if you can actually hear bats on your property, it has reached a level where the numbers are now very large. The best strategy against bat infestation is bat-proofing services. Professional wildlife control companies offer preventative maintenance for homes and properties to protect against bats and more. Continue reading to learn some more facts about hearing bats and bat noises in the home.

Bat Sounds

Bats, although quiet, do make characteristic sounds. Squeaking and scratching are common sounds made by bats, either flying around or during stationary activity. The problem with bat sounds and homeowners is that many people think they are hearing bats, when in fact, they are hearing something completely different. For example, there are birds called Chimney Swifts that take shelter in, you guessed it, chimneys. When these birds are occupying chimneys, they produce similar sounds as bats do. Many homeowners think they have a bat infestation when really, they actually have Chimney Swifts.

Other times, homeowners believe they have a cockroach or mice infestation, when in fact, it is a bat infestation. This is why it is important to hire a professional wildlife control company for accurate diagnostics and bat removal services. They retain the proper tools, training, and resources to identify a bat problem and provide affordable solutions to get rid of them.

Bat Removal Louisville Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for DNR licensed bat removal service in Louisville, Kentucky today. We offer a wide range of bat removal and control services at the most competitive prices in town. Our highly trained and certified wildlife rescue contractors only use safe, non-lethal methods to extract bats and prevent them from returning. We also offer bat cleanup services. Call 502-553-7622 for prompt and professional bat removal and control services in Louisville, KY and its surrounding counties.

Popular Bat Guano Fertilizers on the Market

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Last month we discussed how bat guano is used as a fertilizer for gardens, crops, flora, and more. So now that you know that guano is a known, effective fertilizer, you might want to know which kind to buy! In this blog, we’ll point out a few of the most popular and effective bat guano fertilizers on the market, and the qualities that make them so great. Continue reading for a list of recommended bat guano fertilizer products and brand names for better growing and gardening at home.

Smart Natural’s Happy Frog Potting Soil

This fine-screened potting soil is a light-textured and rich fertilizer, containing bat guano, earthworm castings, forest humus, microbes, fungi, and more, and comes ready to use for indoors or out. It’s well aerated, abundant in nutrients, and pH balanced to get the best possible results. You can expect to see this product come store-ready in 51.4 quart bags that range in price from $45 to $55, depending on the retailer.

Greenbelt Organics Bat Guano Fertilizer

This odorless, easy-to-use, indoor or outdoor bat guano fertilizer is one hundred percent organic. And it is guaranteed to never burn. It is formulated with high amounts of phosphate to enhance blooming and taste. It is biodegradable, building and cleaning the soil with special microbes and microorganisms. It is the perfect fertilizer for lawns and potted plants. You can expect a 2 pound bag to cost anywhere from 8 to 10 dollars.

Sunleaves Indonesian Bat Guano Fertilizer

Another highly-rated and reviewed bat guano fertilizer, the Sunleaves brand has much to offer gardeners. This dry fertilizer can be diluted in water or applied directly to soil for enhanced blooms and root growth. It has a high phosphorous potency, making it very effective. An 11 pound bag will cost anywhere between $25and $35.

Although bat guano is beneficial in our gardens, it is quite the opposite in our attics or other areas in our homes. If you notice bat droppings anywhere on or inside your property, you may have bat activity nearby. It is best to stop a bat problem before it becomes a costly mess. Contact a licensed bat removal service to get rid of bats and clean up bat guano messes in your home.

Bat Removal in Louisville Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for safe and humane bat removal in Louisville, Kentucky or its surrounding counties. We are DNR licensed bat removal and control contractors with decades of experience providing residential and commercial work. Aside from bat removal, our highly trained contractors provide bat cleanup services, bat proofing, preventative maintenance, and even minor attic restorations and repairs. Call 502-553-7622 for Louisville bat removal services you can trust.

Can Bat Guano Be Used as Fertilizer?

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The feces of bats is called guano. It is known for its soil-enriching qualities, which is why many cultures and societies use it for fertilizer. Bat guano can also be used for several other purposes, like gun powder and arguably, women’s mascara. But fertilization is predominantly the most sought-after quality of bat manure. Continue reading to learn how bat guano is used as fertilizer, how it works, and why so many gardeners and cultivators are interested in its benefits.

Plant-Growing Nutrients

Guano is a fantastic fertilizer because it contains high traces of three primary plant-growing nutrients. These nutrients are nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate. For this reason, bat droppings make the perfect fertilizer. Additional benefits of using bat dung for a fertilizer is that it works fast, it has minimal odor, and it is easy to work into the soil. On top of fertilization, bat guano is also highly effective for conditioning soil, fungal protection, and even improving soil drainage and texture. Bat manure can also be used to control nematodes in the soil, as well as, a compost material to activate decomposition.

Fertilizing with Bat Guano

To use bat guano as a fertilizer, simply add a small amount on top of soil, and work it into the top layers. In contrast to regular fertilizer or manure, bat guano is so enriched with nutrients, less is needed for the process to work. It is perfect for lawns, grass, greens, and plants. You can obtain guano is fresh form, or in a dried form. Both have been proven effective in all areas of lawn and garden fertilization.

Bat Problems

Although bat guano is a highly-purposely natural resource, that does not mean we want to see it all over our properties and inside our homes! Bats are wonderful assets to our surrounding eco-system, but they can become nuisance wildlife in the presence of residential and city areas. If you suspect you have bats in the attic, or a bat problem on your property, contact a local Bat Removal Company for prompt and professional bat exclusion services. Be sure to use a service that only uses safe and humane methods to remove bats and prevent their return. Bats should never be harmed or killed for no reason.

Bat Removal Louisville Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for prompt and professional bat removal and control services in Louisville, Kentucky. We are highly trained and DNR licensed wildlife rescue and control contractors with over 25 years of experience in the industry. We only use safe and humane methods to extract bats and relocate them to faraway and safe habitats. Call 502-553-7622 to learn more about our Louisville bat removal services, prices, and availability. We offer residential and commercial bat control services at the most competitive prices in town.

White-Nose Syndrome is a Dangerous Disease in the Bat World

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Bats are prone to various illnesses and diseases, just as all living creatures. But there is a disease that seems to only target cave-dwelling, hibernating bats. This disease is called White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) and it has killed thousands of bats. It was first discovered in early 2007 in New York. Bats at that time started evincing unusual behavior, like neglecting to hibernate or remaining active during the daytime in cold weather. This was an indication to scientists and researchers that something wasn’t quite right. After years of liberal investigation and testing, White-Nose Syndrome was given a name.

It started in the Northeastern parts of the United States, and continues to spread to the central parts to this day. More than 25 states have been infected by this disease since winter 2008, as well as, a handful of Canadian provinces. White-Nose Syndrome causes a growth of white fungus all over a bat’s body, including the ears, muzzle, and wings. This is where the name, “White-Nose” comes from.

When a bat is infected with White-Nose Syndrome, on top of white fungus growth on its wings and muzzle, it might also demonstrate certain signs and symptoms. For example, when scientists are determining whether or not a bat is infected, they will look for microscopic pattern of skin erosion, but they will also consider a bat’s behavior as another key identifier of the disease. When bats are not hibernating as they should, or flying far from their roosts in cold or hazardous weather, they are showing common signs of the syndrome. This doesn’t mean that all bats flying far from their hibernation roosts in cold weather are infected, it simply means that infected bats often evince this particular behavior. Severe emaciation is another indicator.

Several organizations and governmental departments are working together to stop this disease from plaguing even more bat colonies than it already has. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ivy league collegiate teams, and more have all collaborated to find a means to control this disease.

Bat Removal Louisville Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for bat removal and control in Louisville, Kentucky today. We are highly trained and DNR licensed wildlife control contractors with decades of experience in the bat removal industry. We use safe and humane methods to remove bats and prevent their return, never killing or harming them in any way. Call 502-553-7622 for more information about bat removal services in Louisville, KY and its surrounding counties.

Learning About Fruit Bats

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Fruit Bats are a species of bat that do indeed eat fruit, but there is much more to them than the words that make up their name. You see, fruit bats are also called Megabats. They are the larger of the two distinct suborders of bat, megabat and microbat. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. There are so many interesting and surprising facts about this particular species of bat, and each one gives us an added appreciation for them. Continue reading to learn more about fruit bats and what their lives are like out there in the wild.

Megabats

Megabats are scientifically referred to Megachiroptera. They are also called fruit bats, as you already know, as well as, Old World Fruit Bats and Flying Foxes. They are referred to as Flying Foxes because they are one of the most prevalent species of fruit bats in the world. Just as people often refer to all bandages as “Band-Aids” when in fact “Band-Aid” is the brand name not the product name. The same informal use of the term, Flying Foxes, applies to Fruit Bats. There are numerous species of Flying Foxes, such as the Grey-Headed Flying Fox, the largest fruit bat in Australia. Others include the Black Flying Fox, the Spectacled Flying Fox, the Little Red Flying Fox, the Seychelles Fruit Bat, Caroline Flying Fox, the Pelew Flying Fox, and many more.

Megabats are larger than their sister-species, the Microbat. But this does not mean that all fruit bats are large. Some can be as small, or smaller, than some species of Microchiroptera. Physically, fruit bats have large eyes, one of the most recognizable and distinguishable features of a megabat. They also have large ears, another big identifier. When it comes to wingspan, they certainly have bragging rights. Wingspans of fruit bats can extend to great lengths, depending on the particular species. Larger fruit bats can grow wingspans that measure up to 5 feet or more!

Now since they have large eyes and pronounced visual centers, their vision is pretty good. In fact, theories imply that megabats do not use echolocation like microbats do for this reason. The only exception to this fact is the Egyptian Fruit Bat that uses a sonar-like system by emitting sharp clicks with their tongues. As for diet, fruit bats do eat fruit and the juices of fruit, as their name suggests, but they also eat nectar and pollen. This makes them significant parts of the Eco-system as they eliminate seeds they eat and pollinate plants.

Louisville Bat Removal

Call 502-553-7622 for professional bat removal services in Louisville, Kentucky. We are highly trained and DNR licensed bat removal and control contractors with decades of experience in the industry. We offer a wide range of bat removal services for commercial and residential properties. Call 502-553-7622 for free estimates, free advice, availability, and all other forms of information about bat removal and control in Louisville, KY.

Bats in the Basements are a Real Problem!

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Specific signs can indicate that a home has a bat infestation somewhere on its property. Signs such as foul odors coming from the attic, strange clicking or chattering sounds at night, fallen roof shingles, and more are common indications that bats are present. No matter where bats are on or in a property, it is vital to get them out fast! Bat’s, although magnificent and beneficial mammals, fall under the nuisance wildlife category and can cause large amounts of structural damage to a home, as well as, jeopardize our health and the health of our beloved pets. Bats in the attic can simply mean a few loners have found a space to get warm, but if you have bats in basement, this is a big problem because it most likely means infestation. Continue reading to learn about the damages bats can inflict on our homes, and how to get rid of bats in the basement as fast as possible.

Remove Bats in the Basement

Bats, the only mammal capable of true flight, prefer higher elevations when it comes to roosting. This is why we commonly think about bats hanging from tree limbs or cave ceilings. For us, this means they typically enter houses at a high point, like the roof, chimney, or attic; however, if they have made their way to the basement of a home, the outlook is not good. This is because bats in the basement often means they have made the journey from the top of the home, all the way down to the bottom, likely occupying the walls and everything in between along the way. More structural damages occur this way. And damages leads to costly repairs.

A frequent mistake made by frustrated and frightened homeowners is sealing off the basement. For obvious reasons, this will only keep bats in, and does nothing to remove and prevent bat infestations from entering from above as they did before. A professional bat removal company can provide safe, humane, and effective bat exclusion services, as well as, bat-proofing strategies and more. Experienced wildlife removal contractors will even offer minor attic, drywall, insulation, and other bat damage restorations for residential properties.

Bat Removal Louisville Kentucky

Call 502-553-7622 for professional bat removal and control in Louisville, Kentucky. We are DNR licensed bat exclusionists with decades of experience in the wildlife control industry. Our bat control technicians offer bat removal, bat cleanup, bat prevention, inspections, minor attic restorations, and much more for both residential and commercial properties. Call 502-553-7622 for safe and humane bat removal services in Louisville, KY you can trust.