They live in the shadows and are not frequently seen by people. Yet somehow, the fear bats invoke is legendary. For most, the connection with Dracula has created the misconception that they are bloodthirsty creatures searching for their next human victim. Some species feed on blood, but they are in South America, and attacks on people are rare. The reality is that bats are a vital cog in keeping a balance in the local ecosystem and controlling insect populations. That doesn't mean we want them in our homes, but they are not the villains we may think.

The myth is that a single bat can consume about 10,000 mosquitoes daily. That number was based on a 1960s study in a controlled setting, where some bats ate up to 10 mosquitoes in a minute. The study should have considered that they would not keep up a rate like that for a day, and mosquitoes are not the only food source in the wild. A single bat can consume thousands of bugs at night, and its colonies can be from a few dozen to a couple hundred. That's a lot of bugs. As fast as the bugs can be, bats have no problem catching them as they can reach speeds up to one hundred miles per hour.

In New York, we have nine species of the night flyers, and two of them are federally protected endangered species, the Northern Long Ear and Indiana. The penalty for killing an endangered bat is up to a $50,000 fine and a year in prison, plus another $25,000 in civil penalties and whatever fines the state imposes. Just harassing one can result in a $25,000 fine per animal.

They are an odd and unique animal and the only flying mammal; some females can fly with their babies clinging to them. Their numbers make up almost 20% of all mammal species, and they can live up to twenty years in the wild. During the Civil War, droppings were mined from caves in the confederate states to produce saltpeter, a key ingredient in gunpowder. Scientists are working on a drug derived from bat saliva to aid stroke victims.

They are still a risk as helpful as they are and potentially can be. They are immune to many diseases that can be deadly to humans, making them the perfect carriers; this includes SARS, MERS, and Ebola. In addition to the health risks, their feces and urine contaminate our attics' insulation, wood, and other porous substances. 

Keeping your home bat-free and protecting the animal is essential to us. Patriot Wildlife is your local expert for bat removal and exclusion in the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Wayne, and the surrounding areas. We can get them out and make sure they won't come back. Contact us today for an estimate before the issue drives you batty.