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Although bats provide a very
important role in our environment (a single bat can eat
up to 3,000 insects, including mosquitoes, in one
night), they can also be dangerous if they roost in
buildings or come into contact with people. It’s a myth
that bats in Canada fly in your hair or suck your blood,
but there are many other problems they can cause. |
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GENERAL BIOLOGY & BEHAVIOUR |
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The big and small brown bats
common in Canada feed primarily on insects. A single
bat can eat up to 3,000 insects – including
mosquitoes – in one night.
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Bats live in
colonies that can number from two to several
hundred. As their natural habitats (trees, caves)
diminish in urban areas, they search out attics,
walls and roofs.
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Bat birthing season in northern
climates is usually between May and July. Bat
colonies double in size every year. In five years, a colony of
over 100 bats could originate
from two mating pairs.
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Bats feed on a
24- or 48-hour cycle. If you think they’ve all left
for the night to feed, half of them can still be in
the house roosting.
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Bats in Southern
Canada tend to hibernate or go back to the same
property every year unless they are removed and
excluded properly
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They do not
typically fly south for the winter and tend to roost
and hibernate in places with a moderate temperature
(i.e. buildings)
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HOW TO
LOCATE & DETECT THEM |
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Bats can fit through an opening
the size of a dime
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If a bat is
flying around inside your house or business, there’s
a good chance there are more living in the attic,
walls or roof. They typically sleep in tight corners
and underneath insulation, so detection can be very
difficult.
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Bats commonly reside in building
walls, attics or between the roof and the ceiling
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Droppings and
dead bats can cause severe odour and contamination
of property and heating/AC systems
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The longer a bat
stays in a building, the greater the chances of
breeding and infiltrating smaller spaces
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Proper removal
and cleanup may eventually involve ripping out
drywall, sheathing and flooring
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Bats are one of the most common
carriers of rabies, which if left untreated, can
lead to serious health problems or even death.
Symptoms can take up to six months to occur, after
which it is too late to treat. Many health
departments recommend rabies treatments if exposed
to a bat (e.g. if a bat is found in the house when
you or your family were sleeping).
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Bats can bite you
when you’re sleeping, which may be hard to detect, or if you attempt to catch them
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If inhaled, bat
droppings can cause histoplasmosis, which is
characterized by flu-like symptoms. The very young,
very old and those with impaired immune systems are
at greatest risk for severe illness.
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A bat can produce
several times its own weight in waste each month
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