Fantastic Bat Facts for Kids!

Posted on June 28, 2019 by virginia

Children shouldn’t be afraid of bats! Bats serve a highly valuable ecological importance in our surrounding environments, and positive contribution to our local economies. So, don’t let kids be afraid of bats; instead, help get them on the same team by eliminating their fears and anxieties forever.

Start with these fascinating bat facts just for kids!

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

? There are over 1000 different bat species.

? Bats are mammals.

? Bats are the only mammal that can fly. Other mammals just soar, float, or drift on air currents.

? Bats are nocturnal, which means they are awake and active between sunset and sunrise, while you are asleep.

? Bats can to be 20 year old and older.

? The smallest species of bat is called the Kitti’s Hog-Nosed bat, and it is about the size of a bumblebee!

? The largest species of bat are called Flying Foxes, and they can get as big as a bicycle!

? Bats are not blind! But they do use a sonar skill called echolocation to improve their flying and hunting accuracy.

? Mother bats give birth to one single baby each year. Baby bats are called pups.

? Bats are insectivores, which means they eat bugs; mostly flying ones like mosquitoes, gnats, and moths.

? A single bat can eat more than its own body weight in insects each night. That’s around 1,000 mosquitoes!

? Bats are nature’s pest control because they eat so many mosquitoes.

? Bats live in caves, hollowed trees, abandoned mines, and inside large rock crevices.

? Most bats live in large colonies. Some colonies have hundreds of thousands of bats!

? There are 3 species of bat that eat blood, but they only target cows, horses, and pigs.

Admire Bats at a Distance

Although bats are incredible and important animals, it is very important to NEVER attempt to touch, trap, harm, or kill a bat under any circumstances. Not only might they have diseases and parasites that can be harmful to you, the interaction can be harmful to them too. Always admire bats at a distance, and never get too close. See our blog, “How to Safely Support Local Bat Colonies” to learn how to do your part without jeopardizing your safety or theirs.

Where to Get Safe, Non-Lethal Bat Control Service

Call Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 for safe and humane bat removal and control assistance in Old Dominion. We serve all of Virginia with 24 hour bat removal, as well as, numerous residential and commercial bat exclusion services, such as bat cleanup and restorations for bat damages. We even provide insurance work! Contact us at 804-729-9097 to request a free estimate, anytime.

How to Properly Maintain Bat Houses

Posted on June 18, 2019 by virginia

In a previous blog, we discussed tips for adding bat houses to your property as an excellent way to safely support the local bat populations in your community. We talked about procurement and construction, installation and mounting, and much more. However, we have yet to provide tips on how to take good care of your bat houses! Fortunately, now is the perfect time to check on yours to ensure it is in good condition.

To get started, continue reading for some helpful tips on how to maintain a bat house.

What You Will Need:

If you want to take good care of your bat house, you have to start with the right supplies. Be sure to have thick utility gloves, safety goggles, face mask, flashlight, and a pair of scissors. You may not require all of these supplies, but they are the top-recommended ones to have on hand for bat house maintenance.

What To Do:

Never inspect or tend to a bat house when it is occupied. For this reason, it is best to save your bat house inspections for times when bats are not around, like during dusk or at night when they are out hunting for insects.

To take care of a bat house, you want to inspect it on a routine basis. Once a month during active seasons (February through September) is a good schedule to adhere to in the beginning. When you have been caring for your bat house for a while, you’ll learn its needs more, and can change the frequency at which you tend to it each month. In the winter, you will want to check it only once to ensure there are no broken seams in the construction of the house.

Upon inspection, make sure there are no broken seams that can let sunlight in through the roof. If there are cracks or openings, they will need to be repaired. Sunlight can disturb sleeping bats, and cause them a lot of stress. Roofing paper and roof repair sealant are best for such repairs. Be sure the screens, baffles, and interior partitions are intact too.

Also be sure to check for and remove wasp nests at the top of the bat house. They will be gray, honeycomb structures. Although wasps are not a problem for bats, the nests can get too big and disturb their comfort and ability to use the house.

If you see conical nests, these are likely hornets and yellow jackets. As aggressive insects, you will need to remove these nests and implement a preventive treatment to stop them from coming back. Do not use a chemical pesticide that can be poisonous to bats.

If you notice bats sticking out of the bottom of the house throughout the year, it could be due to overcrowding. In this case, you know it is time to add another bat house to your collection.

How to Deal With Nuisance Bat Problems

Sometimes bats can be a nuisance, even though they don’t mean to be. When this happens, trust a licensed and insured Virginia bat removal company for safe and humane bat abatement service at an affordable price. Contact Virginia Bat Pros today at 804-729-9097 to request a free estimate or information about our services, prices, and more. We look forward to delivering affordable and long-lasting solutions for your bat problems!

How Many Bats are Endangered?

Posted on June 11, 2019 by virginia

Bats are wonderful contributors to our surrounding Eco-systems, and even our very own local economies. For this reason, it is a sad truth that bats are not as safe as we wish them to be on this planet. There are several dangers that threaten various bat species all across the world, some of which are caused by mankind, and others that are virtually out of our control.

Continue reading to learn more about the endangered and threatened bat species around the world, and what you can do to support local bat populations in your town.

Threatened Bats

Threatened bats are not technically endangered, but still at risk. “Threatened” means that the bat population numbers are at a steady decline, putting the species closer to being listed as endangered. You see, bats typically give birth to only 1 pup, per year, so population growth rates are slower than most other flying species. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently 104 threatened bat species around the world.

Endangered Bats

Endangered bats are those that have reached seriously low population numbers and at risk of extinction. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently 53 endangered bat species around the globe. Some species of bat listed as endangered include the Giant golden-crowned flying fox, Greater long-nosed bat, Indiana bat, Livingstone’s fruit bat, Gray bat, Townsend’s big-eared bat, Lesser long-nosed bat, Northern long-eared Myotis, and our very own Virginia Big-Eared bat.

Critically Endangered Bats

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently 24 bat species listed as “Critically Endangered.” Critically endangered bats are at risk of imminent, or forthcoming, extinction. It is similar to being listed as a terminally ill patient at a hospital. Although there is hope for a comeback, history tells us that extinction will be close, at some point in time. See our blog, “Federally Endangered Species of Bat in Virginia” to learn about the 3 species of bat that are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

How to Support Local Bats

You can do your part to support the local bat populations around your community without putting your property at risk of structural damage or safety hazards. See our blog, “How to Safely Support Local Bat Colonies” to learn how to get started.

How to Safely Manage Nuisance Bats

Call Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 when you need prompt and professional Virginia bat removal and control you can afford. We use safe and humane methods to deliver effective 24 hour bat control for residential and commercial properties throughout Virginia. We serve all of Virginia, including Richmond, Petersburg, Short Pump, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and all of their surrounding areas.