Breeding
When is the Breeding Season?
Towards the end of April and the beginning of May, male and female bats will separate and start forming maternity colonies and bachelor colonies. The females will look for suitable nursery sites to have their pups and males will roost on their own in small groups, called bachelor colonies. Usually, bats will frequently return to the exact same spots where they had bachelor and maternal colonies before.
As long as the weather is nice and warm enough, the females will accept the sperm and the fertilization process will begin. If it is not warm enough, the males will inseminate the females, and the females will store the sperm until it is warm enough and then release the sperm to the egg to start fertilization at that time.
Towards June, once fertilization begins, the female bats will eat plenty of insects to build up fat for the birthing process so they can take care of their young. It takes a great deal of energy for a bat to care for its pup. Usually, the gestation period is between 40 and 60 days so some bats may have their babies during the month of June, while others will not. Female bats give birth to a single pup, which feeds on their mother’s milk.
By July, the vast majority of female bats will have had their babies. Pups are born naked and unable to fly and take care of themselves, so the mother bats must keep them warm and continue to provide them nourishment. The nursing will last about 4 weeks, so many of the pups will be weaned long before the month comes to an end. At around 3 weeks, the pups can sometimes be found on the ground as they are learning to fly.
In August, the baby bats begin to catch insects for themselves and will see a rapid growth spurt over the next few months. Some bats grow fast and can almost be full size while others are still very small at this time but they continue to grow throughout the month of August. The maternal colonies begin to break up during this time while the males continue to stay in their bachelor colonies.
September and October are the months that bats start mating again. Males of most bat species use a special mating call to attract females, such as clicks and different buzzing sounds. Bats are also concentrating on building up fat stores for hibernation while looking for their places to roost for the winter. Building up fat reserves during these months are crucial for bats to survive during the winter season.
Towards the end of October, the mating ends, and bats start preparing for the beginning periods of torpor.
Our Services
Bat Proofing
We offer nice and friendly bat removal through a process called exclusion. Exclusion is where the bats are able to come out of your home and not get back in without hurting or harming them.
Guano Clean-Up
Dealing with a bat infestation may be one of the most difficult problems when owning a home but how and when a person should deal with the bat guano, can also be a difficult decision.
Insulation
With a properly insulated and ventilated home, you’ll be able to manage and mitigate excess heat and humidity more effectively and help extend the life of your home.
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FAQs
If I Found A Bat In My Home, Should I Test It?
Yes, the CDC recommends that you should always test bats that are in your house and that you catch.
Do I Need A Rabies Shot?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is very clear when addressing rabies. “Recent data suggest that transmission of the rabies virus can occur from minor, seemingly unimportant, or unrecognized bites from bats… Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended for all persons with [a possible] bite, scratch, or mucous membrane exposure to a bat unless the bat is available for testing and is negative for evidence of rabies.”
If the bat was in a room with a child, a person asleep, a person intoxicated, or someone mentally impaired, they should seek medical attention. Post-exposure rabies shots may save your life, but the shots are very expensive so it is important to get the answer right!
For more information about when to get rabies shots, Visit Here and Here, to view the CDC government website.
If you can safely collect the bat you’ve come in contact with and submit it for rabies diagnosis, you may not need post-exposure rabies shots. To test a bat for rabies virus, its brain must be intact. The bat can be dead or alive when you collect it, but it will be euthanized for the test. You must preserve the bat in a container until it can be picked up or dropped off for testing. If the bat is dead, it should be stored in a cool place to prevent decomposition.
Is Bat Guano Dangerous?
In most cases, you can sweep up and clean bat guano without any cause for concern, however, we always recommend wearing protective equipment such as gloves, mask, and goggles. There is a small chance you can come into contact with and contract Histoplasmosis. A small amount of bat guano should be a harmless as a few mouse droppings. Once the guano piles up, a fungus that causes histoplasmosis can start to grow, and this is when you need to be careful.
If you are going to clean up bat guano by yourself, we recommend spraying the guano with bleach or fungicide before disturbing it to help mitigate your risk. The best thing you can do is talk to a professional (like us) before attempting to clean up a large amount of bat guano first.
If you do not want to clean up bat guano, we would be more than happy to do it for you and provide our services to you!
Will My Insurance Cover The Cost Of Bat Removal Services?
As long as you don’t have a stated coverage policy excluding bats, your insurance probably allows for some sort of coverage for damages caused to the sheetrock by bats. Getting this coverage is often difficult but can be done.
If you purchased your home in the last 24 months and the infestation was not disclosed to you, the errors and omissions insurance for the real estate agent and the home inspector involved in the sale may provide coverage. Additionally, the seller of the property is often liable for the first 24 months after purchase.