Bats

Our experienced team of pest technicians are ready to control your pest problem.

Little Brown Bat

Size

Body length of 3-4½ inches

Distinguishing Marks

Wingspan of 8-9"
Silky cinnamon and dark brown hair
Pale grey belly
Black hand-like wings

Did You Know?

Bats are the only mammals that can fly.

They are insect-eating machines, eating thousands of mosquitoes and other flying insects in a single night.
Bats use echolocation (rapid pulses of sound that bounce off an object) to detect and catch insects. They scoop the insects up in their tail or wing membranes and then place them in their mouth; this is what gives them such an irregular flight pattern.
As temperatures decrease in the fall and the number of insects diminish, bats migrate to their hibernacula in caves or mines for the winter. During hibernation a bat will reduce its body temperature, slow its heart rate to only one beat every four or five seconds, and rely on their stored fat reserves to survive until springtime.

What to watch for

Size

Little brown bats have a wingspan of 8-9" and a body length of 3-4½ inches with a 1 ½ inch forearm.

Appearance

Covered in a coat of silky cinnamon and dark brown hair, and pale grey underneath, with black hand-like wings.

What to listen for

Bats make sounds by echolocation, which are generally too high pitched for the human ear to hear. You may be able to hear a click or squeak as they fly by directly overhead.

When to watch

In the spring or summer, during early dawn or dusk, look up above a body of water (lake, pond, stream, etc.) and or among trees, and you may see them flying back and forth and dipping and diving for insects. Looking in areas where flying insects are most abundant usually in areas near water provides a good chance to spot bats.

Where to watch

Bats can be found in caves and mines during the winter, but do not look for bats in these areas. Entering into caves or mines is dangerous without the proper knowledge or guidance. White Nose syndrome is a serious disease in bat populations that can be spread from cave to cave by humans (see below). In addition, it is important not to disturb and awaken hibernating bats in the winter, because they will lose necessary fat reserves that they rely on to survive.

More information about Little Brown Bats

White Nose Syndrome
Rabies - Protecting Family and Pets

How to safely remove a bat from your home: Do not attempt to handle a bat under any circumstances. If provoked or threatened, just like any other animal, bats will defend themselves typically by biting. In general, bats are not dangerous animals and are very beneficial to our environment, so harming or killing these animals is wrong and unnecessary.

A bat in flight in your home: Turn on some lights in order to see the bat. Close doors to other rooms of the home in order to restrict the bat's access to a small area. Open all exterior windows or doors in the room. The bat can then use its echolocation to navigate a safe path outside.

Bats roosting (resting) in your home: The best solution is to contact a wildlife damage control company. Do not attempt to exclude bats during the winter while they are hibernating; instead wait until the spring and summer when they are active. Make sure the site is clear of any hibernating bats before sealing all potential entry points into your home spaces.
Build or buy a bat house to keep bats out of your home

Further sources: Info from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Leave Us A Message

Contact Form

Ready to get started?

Curious about what that pest you found in your home? Check out our pest library to help identify it. When you're ready, call us for a free estimate to remove that pest and their friends from your home. 
crossmenu