Bats Begone

The short season to remove bats is upon us.

Bat removal is also called a “bat eviction.” In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, bats can only be evicted during the early spring and in the late summer. Bats cannot be removed during certain times in the year due to their “hibernation” and breeding patterns.

Bats hold federal protection status because they are important for biodiversity and controlling the insect population. A single Little Brown Bat can consume more than 1,200 mosquito sized insects in an hour. Big Brown Bats can consume enough cucumber beetles to protect farmers’ crops and save them the costs of alternative pest prevention.

The early summer is the “maternity season” for bats when they breed and raise their young. Wildlife technicians cannot remove bats during this time because it would only evict the adult bats. If only the adult bats are removed, the pups can get stuck in the attic because they cannot fly, or they will get disoriented trying to find their way out.

During the winter months, bats go into a quasi-hibernation state called torpor. When bats are in a torpor state, they significantly reduce their metabolic, heart, and respiratory rate. This allows them to survive lengthy periods of time without food.

Bats may enter torpor for just a few hours to conserve energy during a chilly day, or they can remain in torpor for up to a month.

When bats “hibernate,” they colonize in caves, mines, and rock crevices. But they can also colonize in your attic. This is because attics provide an ideal temperature and humidity for bats to enter a torpor state.

Many bats migrate between summer and winter habitats, including the Little Brown Bat and the Big Brown Bat, the most common species found in homes around Southern New England.

Some companies continue to provide bat removal services outside the permitted season. This is not only illegal, but harmful to local bat populations.

Vanguard Wildlife provides humane solutions to safely remove bats from your home during Rhode Island’s bat removal season.

Vanguard Wildlife uses one-way valves and seals all potential entry points greater than three-eighths of an inch. The one-way valves allow bats to safely exit the home when they leave the attic to feed. They will not be able to re-enter, thanks to exclusion. This includes sealing and repairing bat damage around the home.

Bats are also considered a biodiversity marker. This means that their populations and behavior provide insight on the overall condition of the local ecosystem. Studying bat behavior over time can show quality and changes of environmental conditions.

So why remove bats? Bats can carry several diseases that are a threat to public health. This includes rabies and histoplasmosis. Bat guano can also be a host to these diseases and bats can leave large latrines of guano that contaminates insulation. If your home has been heavily contaminated from bat guano, Vanguard Wildlife offers attic cleanups to remove all guano, replace insulation, and sanitize the attic.

If you see a bat in your home, try to safely release it outdoors by opening a window or doorway. Vanguard’s wildlife specialists can also remove bats from living spaces.

There are a number of reasons why bats end up in your living room, but chances are that if you find one in your home, they are likely roosting in your attic. If you see a bat in your home, schedule an inspection with a trained Wildlife Specialist. These specialists can determine where they are getting in and provide a lasting solution, to both remove bats and keep them from re-entering.

About Vanguard Wildlife

Vanguard Wildlife is a veteran-owned and operated business committed to providing strategic solutions for wildlife and rodent control. Wildlife removal situations often arise unexpectedly, leaving homeowners and business owners scrambling to find a solution within a reasonable time and budget. Vanguard Wildlife takes an integrated approach that is customized to your home to identify and repair damage created by wildlife. Technicians are certified Advanced Wildlife Control Operators by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association. Vanguard provides reliable and transparent service, with a 2-year warranty.