BATS

Common Concerns & Safety Issues

Rabies, salmonella, arboviruses, mites, ticks, bat bugs,
fleas, dermestid beetles, histoplasmosis
When venting bat colonies,
professional assistance should always be sought.
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Customers & Locations

Residential
Cabins
Barns
Churches
Industrial Sites

Business Parks
Townships
County Governments
Boroughs
Schools

Professional Solutions

  • Inspection & diagnosis
  • Effective, permanent, non-chemical removal
  • Exclusion & repairs
  • Prevention for future entries & infestations

Understanding
the
BROWN BAT

Grouping Common Bats / Insectivore / Mammal
Nicknames Winged Mice, Flying Mouse, @#$%^&*!
Best Known For Crazy Myths! Known for the appearance of flying at you and eating a lot of insects.
Life Span Up to 20+ years. Gerontologists are very interested.
Mating Season September / October
Reproductive Details Males enter maternity colonies as young bats leave and disperse. Females retain sperm and self-fertilize, thus pregnancy does not occur until   March /April with a 60 day gestation period. A single pup, occasionally two, are born in May or June. Dispersal After four weeks the young bat is mature enough for limited sustained flight and will begin feeding with the adults.
Habitat May through September female bats dwell in attics, belfries, barns, behind shutters and in hollow tree cavities in heavily suburban areas as well as very rural settings. As long as the location meets their specific summer/maternity needs, bats can be expected to utilize them. The right mix of conditions includes: temperature, humidity, airflow, access and proximity to food sources. Adult male and female bats typically do not reside together through the summer period. November through March, bats are in hibernation. During this period they reside in locations that provide temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees (i.e. caves, mines, attic voids, buildings). It is common to find male Big Brown bats over-wintering in structures.
Activity Cycle

Nocturnal but can and do fly during the day. Active roughly 7 months of the year. Central Pennsylvanian bats hibernate throughout winter months. Hibernation is a slowing down of body function in order to conserve energy stores. Bats seek out temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees allowing their bodily processes to slow, utilizing the body’s stored fat for calorie intake. Big brown bats hibernate in structures – typically under insulation. Bat activity during the winter inside a house is due to daily temperature swings causing the house to heat up and warm their area of hibernation. This causes the bats to move in the house seeking to regain their optimal temperature of 50 to 55 degrees.

Jan Hibernation July Young mature and start exploring
Feb Hibernation Aug Young self-dependent, females start to leave, and the storage of fat begins to accumulate.
Mar Hibernation ends, activity increases, and feeding begins. Sep Mating occurs at summer locations and hibernation sites. Return to hibernation sites and fat storage continues to accumulate.
Apr Self-fertilization and pregnant females leave for nursery sites. Oct Mating continues and fat storeage accumulates.
May Gestation continues Nov Hibernation begins
June Young born Dec Hibernation proceeds
Food and Feeding Insects are the primary food source. Beetles, true bugs, mayflies and many others. Mosquitoes are not a primary food source. Bats do not eat during hibernation. There is no readily available insect population through the winter months. Echolocation is used to locate food. Wings and tails are used to help catch food.
Activity Signs Entry points on structures are often dark in color due to the oils and dirt on a bat’s fur being rubbed off where they enter. Bat droppings (guano) and urine salts are often present at entry locations. Regular bat entry points, for more than a single bat, often have a distinct bat urine odor. Summer bat roosts are always accompanied by guano in a pile or scattered across the floor. The best time to view bats entering or leaving a structure is at dusk and pre-dawn.
Damage Signs Guano and urine accumulations. These accumulations soil and can ruin insulation. Deposits of guano and urine have a strong odor, especially intense during the hot summer when the attic heats up. Urine salts have a corrosive effect on aluminum and vinyl siding and will stain ceilings and walls. Guano deposits can be home for several types of insects, fungi and bacteria and can have deleterious effects on some people. Bat guano should never be cleaned up without breathing protection; and regular house or shop vacuum equipment should never be used.
Treatment Seal the structures and install escape points commonly known as bat vents. This allows bats to escape but not re-enter. Venting should be avoided late May through mid-August. Professional assistance should be sought when venting bat colonies.
Distinguishing Marks & Features Distinguishing light to dark brown, coarse fur. Face and ears typically black. Mature big brown bats are the size of a man’s thumb and the wingspan from tip to tip ranges from 12 to 16 inches. Flight path is low, slow, and often in a straight line.

BATS ARE AN S&S SPECIALTY + WE GUARANTEE OUR WORK IN WRITING!

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