We got the bat facts every homeowner should know
Especially if you live in Florida
Bats try their best to stay away from humans. They won’t bother you unless they find a comfortable living space inside your home. Bats would rather not interact with us, as most bat species would feed on insects or fruits. A lot of people consider bats as their greatest fear though, since books, TV shows, and movies showed bats as scary beings. The fear of bats mainly comes from a lack of knowledge and proper information.
Instead of being scared, we got the 9 bat facts every homeowner should know:
- Vampire bats are real.
- Bats can consume over a thousand mosquitoes on a nightly basis.
- Bats keep themselves clean at all times.
- Humans almost never get attacked by bats.
- Bats would wreak havoc in your home only if you lock them inside in the morning.
- It may take years before you realize bats live in your attic.
- A Big Brown Bat is not really very big.
- Rabies in bats exists, although very uncommon.
- If you want to get rid of bats in your home, you must call a professional.
1. Vampire bats are real.
There are over a thousand bat species found worldwide. In the United States alone, there are over 40 species of bats. Quite interestingly, there’s such a thing as a vampire bat or those who suck the blood of other animals, not necessarily humans. Vampire bats are commonly found in some countries in South America, not in the United States.
2. Bats can consume over a thousand mosquitoes on a nightly basis.
If you’ve had a persistent mosquito problem at home that suddenly stopped, perhaps bats have found a room for them in your attic. Some bats love eating fruits or nectar, but others could enjoy more than 1,000 mosquitoes every single night.
3. Bats keep themselves clean at all times.
Bats are not rats. They’re actually very clean. They may seem like stinky little critters mainly because of the guano (bat excrement) and urine that accumulate through the years in their living space.
4. Humans almost never get attacked by bats.
Bats are not blind. They know when they’re about to come across people. If you feel like a bat is about to attack you, it is actually just trying to get those insects that surround you. If a human does get bitten or attacked by a bat, it is most likely because the human approached the bat first. This usually happens when a bat is injured on the ground or is trapped inside a home.
5. Bats would wreak havoc in your home only if you lock them inside in the morning.
A lot of people would seal holes and shut windows tight the moment they find signs of bats entering their homes. During daytime, bats are most likely asleep because they’re nocturnal. If you lock them in, it will certainly result in a scuffle inside your home when they wake up. It is best to seal those holes if you’re 100% sure the bats are no longer inside. Trapping them in to catch them is not a good idea if you’re not an animal control professional.
6. It may take years before you realize bats live in your attic.
Bats are nocturnal and they are generally silent animals. They won’t screech or run around like rats infesting your attic. Unless you regularly clean your attic thoroughly, you wouldn’t realize bats live there right away. You would only know after the odor from their guano and urine starts to spread throughout your house, and that may take years.
7. A Big Brown Bat is not really very big.
Bats found in homes are usually the little browns and big browns. The Big Brown Bat isn’t super big though. Their wingspan ranges 11 to 13 inches and they weigh only about half an ounce.
8. Rabies in bats exists, although very uncommon.
As mentioned above, bats rarely approach humans so bat bites are not really common. Among these uncommon bat bites, only 1% of humans bitten contracted rabies. Not all bats have rabies but some do. In case you get bitten, you still have to get your anti-rabies shots just to be sure.
9. If you want to get rid of bats in your home, you must call a professional.
And finally, while it has been said time and again that bats probably won’t attack humans, it is still very important for you to call a professional if you want to get rid of one bat or multiple bats. If you must catch a bat on your own, you must wear protective clothing including a thick pair of gloves. Catch it with a net or plastic and as much as possible, don’t touch it with your bare hands.
Quick Bat Basics for Florida Homeowners
These are only some of the many bat species found in Florida:
- Southeastern Myotis
- Tricolored Bat
- Big Brown Bat
- Eastern Red Bat
- Evening Bat
- Northern Yellow Bat
- Seminole Bat
Tricolored Bats
- Florida’s smallest bat
- Weighs about 4 to 8 grams
- Can be identified by its pink forearms and black wings
- Gives birth to about 2 pups between May and June
Southeastern Myotis
- A medium-sized bat found in Florida
- Prefers caves, bridges, buildings, hollow trees and possibly your house
- Weighs about 5 to 12 grams
- Grayish brown dorsal fur with yellow/white belly fur
Big Brown Bat
- Can gather up to 70 bats per colony
- Prefers living in buildings, bat houses, bridges and possibly your house
- Weighs about 11 to 25 grams
- Aside from its fairly large size, it has a dog-like muzzle
- Has long and wavy brown fur
Call the professional bat handlers at Animal Wildlife Trappers
Animal Wildlife Trappers has a team of professional bat handlers that can get rid of bats found in your property. We know how to catch them properly, take them away and prevent them from coming back. We offer bat removal services across all of Orlando and other communities in Central Florida including Hardee County, Lake County, Polk County, and more.