When it comes to bats, June & July is a very exciting time of the year. Not only are pups arriving to maternity colonies, but many homeowners in Michigan, Ohio, and beyond, are getting occasional dislocated bats in the house. Many of these very frightened homeowners have (unknowingly) had bats for many years. When maternity colonies are discovered in an attic, some homeowners seek instant solutions to the perceived problem. The message isn’t falling on deaf ears, but resolving the problem properly requires just a little bit of patience and a sound plan.
“Discovering a bat in the house can cause people to react very emotionally, but the safest option is to be patient,” says David Kugler, president of Critter Catchers, Inc., a Michigan bat specialty company advocating a more humane approach to bat removal. “Please relax for a moment, and understand the complexity of the issue. Bats are simply looking for a safe, secure home to raise their young.”
A professional bat exclusion service can safely remove the bats from your home. But, when non-flying pups are in the colony, one-way exit devices cannot be placed on the home because the young bats will either die in the attic, end up inside the home, or will crawl through the devices and fall to the ground. This can increase exposure to possible bites. “Separating the females from the pups, is the last thing you need in your home,” Kugler continues. “Depending when you live, the pups are usually flying by early August.” Learn more about maternity colonies here:
http://www.crittercatchersinc.com/critters/bats/Spring_Bats_In_House.html
Much of the excitement related to bats does not only stem from the fact that many grown adults are simply terrified of the sight of bats swooping from room to room. Bats can present a rabies exposure, which can be fatal. “Ohio requires that all possible exposures be reported to the Local Health Department”, says Cory Wise, of Propestmen of Ohio, Inc., an Ohio -based specialty wildlife management operation servicing Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. “By testing the bat, you can help rule out possible rabies exposure.” More information about rabies:
http://propestmen.com/ohio/bats/bat-rabies/
A balance must be struck to protect both the maternity bat colonies and people. For example, installing a bat house, early in the bat exclusion process, can help provide an alternative summer roost. By adding habitat to your back yard, you can help keep this insect-eating mammal in your yard at a safe distance once they are evicted from your home. Bats tend to stay in the local neighborhood anyway, why not provide a proper house for them?
Dave Kugler is the president and founder of Michigan Critter Catchers.
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