What Do You Do About Bats in the North Houston Area?
by FullScope Pest Control
Bats are the only mammals with wings (they are not rodents), and there are almost as many different species of bats as there are of rodents. Overall, they are considered to be beneficial (they eat TONS of bugs and mosquitoes every single night), unlike rats or mice. In fact, some people install “bat houses” on their property to attract these insect controllers to their property to help keep bug and mosquito populations down. Bats are also pollinators like bees.
Bats prefer dark, dry spaces with little to no human traffic, which is why they love attics and belfries so much for roosting and multiplying.
As healthy as they may be for the ecosystem, once they set up shop, they are very dangerous for buildings. They drop their feces (guano) everywhere, which is a huge attractant for various kinds of insect pests. One problem that bats bring with them is that they are hard to detect. They are very quiet, they only come out at night, and it may take you a while to even realize they are nesting in your home or business, or on your property.
Bats hibernate in the wintertime, during which time, chances are good that they’ll move from your attic, down through the walls, and into your basement. These winged critters are not only quiet and stealthy, they are very agile and can slip in and out of holes and other entry ways that are smaller than an inch. They are very quick to fly away, too, if they sense a threat. Bats are also protected animals in many states (and by the federal government), so they need to be managed very cautiously.
Unless you love bats, they are definitely animals that you want to have a professional bat control company handle. If you find evidence of bats in your Houston home, property, or business, you should definitely plan on calling in some bat removal expertise.
Bats in Texas
Bats are an important part of our ecosystem: they hunt and feed on flying insects, including mosquitoes, to keep their populations down. In fact, one little brown bat can expertly hunt down and eat around 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in a single hour, while nursing mother bats can consume over 4,500 flying insects every night.
The six species of bats that Texans most commonly encounter include:
- Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis)
- Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
- Mexican Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)
- Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer)
- Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius)
- Tri-Colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)
Must Read:5 HUMANE TIPS TO HELP KEEP BIRDS AWAY
How Do I Know If I Have a Bat Infestation?
Call the bat removal experts at FullScope Pest Control as quickly as possible if you notice any of the following in or around your home, or on your property:
- You’ll definitely notice a significant increase in the numbers of bats flying around your home or property at dusk or dawn.
- You might notice fluttering noises or high-pitched squeaks coming from inside your walls.
- Guano on the floor of your attic or basement, which are about twice the size of rodent droppings.
What is Guano and How Can I Tell it Apart from Mouse Droppings?
As mentioned, guano is the common term for bat droppings. It is very similar in shape and size to rodent droppings and the two might be easily confused. By the way, guano is often used as a fertilizer in other circumstances, and can be toxic. You can tell if it’s guano by using a flashlight or other lighting. If you crush the droppings with a gloved hand or shoe, and shine your light onto it, it should sparkle if it’s guano. It sparkles because of the insect exoskeletons that the bats feed on. Guano also has a unique, strong, pungent, musty odor.
FullScope Pest Control is Humane and Bat Protection Compliant
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, (Chapter 63, Section 63.101; http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PW/htm/PW.63.htm), “…no one may hunt, sell, offer for sale, buy, offer to buy, or possess after purchase a bat or any part of a bat, dead or alive.”
It is extremely difficult and cumbersome for a Houston area homeowner to handle a bat infestation on his or her own. Especially since bats are a government protected species. Also, as mentioned, guano can be hazardous and attracts a variety of insects. FullScope pest control can give you a free initial assessment of your bat situation to get a handle on how serious the problem is. Our licensed and trained removal professionals have been watching the increase in bat populations in Texas for years and are best situated to handle your bat problem quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. We can also show you what you can do to help prevent bat problems in the future. Call today for a free assessment and a free quote.
Guano Removal, Bat Control, and Decontamination in North Houston
Bats are not aggressive, but bat removal and control is necessary for health and damage-prevention reasons, and should only be done by professionals who are familiar with all the federal and state laws protecting them.
If you have bats in your attic, basement, crawlspaces, or anywhere else on your property where you don’t want them, your first tipoff should be the excessive droppings (guano) you can see. Exposure to guano over time can cause health issues. Plus, guano odor can remain inside your home for years if you do not properly remove it and conduct a full decontamination and sanitization of all the spaces that were inhabited by the bat intruders. Save yourself time, money, and headaches by calling us today!
Got bats? Bats are nuisance pests, but they aren’t aggressive. They do transmit disease and carry parasites. Save yourself time, stress, and money by calling our office today at 832-898-0190, or shoot us an email at [email protected] for a free initial consultation. We can help you manage your bat problem and other pest problems at home and in your yard, and then we can show you what you can do to help prevent future problems.
