Do Bats Have Lice?

Posted on January 31, 2020 by virginia

When it comes to finding a bat infestation within your home or building, one of your first concerns, aside from structural damage, is health. Are bats diseased? Do they spread contagious illnesses or parasites? The answers to these questions are very important, mostly because they are true. Fortunately, there are safe and effective remedies for cleaning up after a bat infestation, so long as you choose the right provider for the job.

Continue reading to learn which diseases and health threats bat infestations can pose to humans and pets, as well as, how to resolve one as soon as possible.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Bat Diseases

By far, the most stigmatized disease surrounding bats is Rabies. Although bats are known carriers of the deadly virus, it does not mean that all bats are actually infected. If they are infected, bats can spread the virus to both humans and other animals through blood, mucus, or saliva. Because the virus attacks the central nervous system, there is no cure, making it 100% fatal. For this reason, it is vital to keep pets properly vaccinated. If you find a dead, injured, or abandoned bat on your property, see our blog, “What To Do If You Find a Bat” for proper instructions.

Aside from the Rabies virus, bats can spread a wide range of parasites, such as lice, ticks, fleas, and mites. Although not fatal, these outbreaks can be quite uncomfortable, unhygienic, and difficult to eliminate. Parasites like these are very common, and they grow at incredibly fast rates. If such outbreaks are not managed efficiently, it can take a lot of time, money, and construction to resolve. Practically all bat infestations cause some kind of parasitic outbreak, most often, bat mites. See our blog, “Is a Bat Mite the Same Thing as a Bed Bug?” to learn how to distinguish bat mites from similar pests.

Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a not an illness that is spread by infected bats, but rather, a result of an on-going bat infestation. Histoplasmosis is a serious lung infection that is caused by over-exposure to fungal spores that grow on bat droppings (guano). These Histoplasma capsulatum fungal spores develop on bat guano, and then become airborne. Upon inhalation, pets and people can become infected. Some people may experience more severe complications if it spreads to other parts of the body, known as Disseminated Histoplasmosis. It is especially serious for those with suppressed immune systems, such as babies and elderly folk.

Virginia Bat Removal and Cleanup Services

Call Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 if you have bats in the attic or other area of your home. Our licensed and insured bat removal and control professionals offer full-service bat extraction and exclusion, as well as, comprehensive cleanup and restoration for bat damages. We serve all of Richmond, Virginia and its surrounding counties. Request a free estimate or advice, today!

Did You Find a Dead Bat on Your Property?

Posted on October 4, 2019 by virginia

If you recently came across a dead bat in or around your house, there are some facts you need to know right away. Continue reading to learn what you should do, and how you should follow up after the bat has been removed.

Bat Diseases and Health Hazards

The first rule to finding a dead animal is to never touch it, not even with protective gloves. When it comes to bats, the same rule of thumb applies. Bats are known carriers of several infectious diseases, including Rabies, distemper, and roundworm. They are also common carriers of harmful parasites, such as mites, lice, fleas, and ticks. All of these diseases and pests can be transmitted to both people and pets, making dead bats a serious hazard in any non-professional situation.

So What Should You Do?

As soon as you find the dead bat, cut off access to it by isolating pets and kids in another area. If the bat is outside, be sure everyone, including cats and dogs, are inside the house. If the bat is in a certain room of the house, shut the door or put up gates to prevent kids and pets from getting close. Do not attempt to touch or recover the bat under any circumstances. As mentioned, you might expose yourself to a transmissible disease or health hazard.

Once you have mitigated possible exposure to people and pets, your next move is to contact a local bat abatement company for emergency bat removal services. They have the tools, training, and state licenses to legally remove and relocate bats, whether dead or alive. Keep in mind that it is illegal to tamper or harm a bat in Virginia. See our blog, “State Laws Surrounding Wild Bats” to learn the laws that govern wildlife practices in our state.

How to Follow Up

Once you have had the bat removed, it is important that you follow up by having your home inspected for bats. If you have one bat in or around the house, you likely have more. This is especially true when bats are found inside a home or building. The same company that removed the dead bat can also provide comprehensive bat inspections.

If a bat infestation is located, they can also provide bat extraction and cleanup services. To protect your home from future bat infestations, the company can also provide certain bat-proofing and abatement strategies that will do the job. See our blog, “Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Removal and Control” to learn more about bat prevention.

Where to Get Emergency Bat Removal in Virginia

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.

Will Bats Attack My Dog?

Posted on August 6, 2019 by virginia

If you are aware of a local bat colony in your area, you might have several concerns in terms of safety, especially if you have an outdoor pet. Fortunately, even when bats are nearby, there are several ways to protect yourself, your pets, and your property from any kind of harm. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about nuisance bats and pet safety, including common transmissible bat diseases, pet vaccines, bat control, and more.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

The Nature of Bats

When you think about bats, you might picture those scary movies you’ve seen showing bats swooping into women’s hair and chasing people down the street. But the truth is, bats are more scared of us, and our pets, than we are of them. For this reason, a bat’s instinctual nature is to avoid interactions of any kind with humans and animals that are deemed predators, like your dog. So what does this mean for your outdoor pet? Well, it means that it is very unlikely that a bat attacks your dog. However, there are circumstances in which there could be a threat of harm. This is where pet vaccinations come into play.

Pet Vaccines

Bats are known carriers of several infectious, transmissible diseases, such as Rabies. What’s even scarier is that, once contracted, there is no cure for Rabies. When a bat is sick or injured, it is more vulnerable to its predators. And with curious dogs sniffing around outside, it is possible for them to come across a wounded or ill bat, and attempt to get a closer look. These are the most common cases of bats attacking or biting dogs; when they are scared and acting out of self-defense. For this reason, it is vital to have your pets vaccinated routinely to protect them from such transmissible diseases.

Bat Control

To truly relieve your anxiety about the dangers of bats, you need to resolve your nuisance bat problem at its root. By abating bat activity on and around your property, you can further protect your outdoor pets from bat confrontations. Certain environmental changes coupled with professional bat exclusion services are the best strategies for abating bat activity. Contact a licensed bat removal and control company in your town for non-lethal bat exclusion advice and assistance.

Who to Call for Virginia Bat Control

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 and its surrounding areas. We offer 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 today for a free estimate.

What To Do If You Find a Bat

Posted on January 8, 2019 by virginia

Finding a bat can be alarming. Not only can they carry several types of infectious diseases and transmissible parasites, they are also capable of causing serious structural damage to a property. At the same time, bats are ecologically important and often protected under state and federal law. For these reasons and more, be sure you take the proper steps in order to protect yourself, your home, and the bat if you ever come across one on your premises.

Continue reading to learn what to do if you find a bat in different areas of your property.

On the Ground

If you find a bat on the ground, it could be for a number of suspicious reasons. The bat could be injured, sick, dying, or dead. It could also be abandoned by its mother. Regardless of why there is a bat in your yard, it is important to take certain precautions to be safe. If you do not have pets or children, and you usually do not occupy that area of your yard for recreational purposes, it is suggested to simply let the bat be. Allow nature to take its course.

However, it is more likely that the bat is in the way and will need to be relocated. In this case, use a shoe box or tissue box to scoop the bat up and transfer it to a wooded area. Be sure to wear gloves and do not tamper with the bat. Relocating the bat will protect pets and children from contagious diseases, and save you the hassle of dealing with a dead animal on your premises.

In the House

Sometimes, when a window or screen door is left open at night, a bat can wander inside the home and rest on a wall or ledge. If you happen to discover a bat in your house this way, whether in the garage or in the kitchen, it is important to not panic and alarm the bat. Instead, get all of the children and pets out of the room where the bat is located.

Then open all of the doors and windows near the bat. Next, use a broom or something soft to gently tap the wall next to the bat to encourage it to fly away, and hopefully out of a window or door. If you cannot get the bat out of the house, contact a local bat removal and control company for emergency extraction assistance.

In the Attic

If you find a bat colony living in your attic, a licensed Virginia bat removal and control company needs to be contacted immediately. The longer you wait to have a bat infestation remedied, the more damage will occur, which in turn increases time and money spent fixing the problem. Furthermore, getting rid of bats in the attic is only the first step. After bats are excluded, the mess they left behind must be cleaned, disinfected, and repaired.

Contact Virginia Bat Pros Today!

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Contact Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 for safe and humane bat removal and control at a fair price. Regardless of the size or scope of your bat abatement and cleanup needs, we have the experience and resources necessary to remedy your bat problem in no time at all. Our professionals are focused on safe and effective results, but more importantly, our client’s complete satisfaction. Contact us anytime for free estimates, advice, and assistance.

Where to Get Prompt and Professional Bat Removal in Lynchburg

Posted on December 27, 2018 by virginia

When you need prompt and professional bat removal in Lynchburg, we are the licensed and insured specialists to call! Here at Virginia Bat Pros, we serve all of Hill City, including Campbell, Amherst, and Bedford County.

But that’s not all! Our service area extend all the way to Charlottesville, Roanoke, and other major surrounding Virginian cities. You can feel confident that we service your neighborhood with trusted bat abatement at the most competitive prices in town!

Lynchburg Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Pros has everything you need to protect your home from nuisance bat activity and infestations. On top of retaining extensive knowledge of bats and using high-end materials for our projects, our licensed and insured specialists have more than 10 years of hands-on experience in the wildlife abatement industry. And we specialize in a wide range of commercial and residential nuisance bat services, from extraction and exclusion, to bat cleanup and restoration, inspections, free advice, and much more.

We Back Our Work

As a full-service bat removal and control company, all of our work is backed by a written guarantee, so you can feel confident knowing that your home is in the hands of skilled professionals. Our work is also compatible with several homeowners’ insurance carriers to provide bat damage restorations. These attributes, combined with our premium insurance coverage and proficiency in bat abatement, makes us your top-choice for safe and humane bat removal and control in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Request a Free Estimate or Advice Today!

Whether you have a single bat in the house, or a large colony of bats in the attic, we are fully-equipped and qualified to provide safe and affordable solutions in a time frame that’s convenient for you. 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!

Could Wind Turbines Be a Threat to Bats in Virginia?

Posted on December 17, 2018 by virginia

As long-time advocates for the protection and well-being of bats, we regularly echo the importance they have on our surrounding Eco-systems and local economies. For this reason, it is a concern that many bat fatalities may be a result of wind and air pressure changes caused by giant wind turbines.

Wind turbine from aerial view. Sustainable development environment friendly concept. Wind turbine give renewable energy sustainable energy alternative energy. Wind sustainability energy.

Wind energy is a significant alternative energy source used to help reduce fossil fuel consumption. Until a study was done in West Virginia regarding bat fatalities, the primary environmental concern with wind energy was bird fatalities. The West Virginian study revealed that up to 4,000 bats died in a period of just one season, and it could have been due to the environmental impacts of wind turbines.

The Link Between Wind Energy and Bat Fatalities

So why are bats dying from wind turbines? For decades, researchers have studied this question. To this very day, they are still investigating the link between wind energy and bat fatalities. Although there are several theories and studies in existence, many believe that the number one reason why bats are being killed by wind turbines is because they are simply flying into the turbine blades.

Other research has suggested that wind energy-related bat fatalities could be a result of barotrauma, which is a health condition that damages lung tissue, inner ear tissue, and other respiratory organs. Barotrauma is suspected of being caused by air pressure changes that occur too rapidly or in excess. This type of massive air pressure change takes place near the edges of turning turbine blades.

National Statistics

There was a recent study done that investigated the mortality rate of Hoary bats near wind energy facilities during 2014. It suggested that populations could plummet by 90% within the next 50 years if nothing is done to protect bats. Here are some more interesting statistics:

➔ In the United States and Canada, a projected 650,000 to 1.3 million bats lost their lives between the years of 2000 to 2011 as a result of turbine collisions.

➔ It is suspected that in 2012, 400,000 more bats died as a result of wind energy structures.

➔ In the United States and Canada, 24 species of bats (and possibly more) are on record as victims of wind turbines, including the Hoary bat, Eastern Red bat, and the Silver-Haired bat.

➔ Even endangered species have been reported as being killed by wind turbines, including the Indiana bat and the Hawaiian Hoary bat.

SOURCE: Arnett and Baerwald 2013

Finding a Solution

Wind energy is substantially important to our society, and our world as a whole. And so are bats. This is why we need to find a working solution to the environmental impact wind turbines have on nature’s wildlife. So what can you do to help the initiative? Support the various organizations working hard to develop the right strategies and solutions.

Such organizations include Bat Conservation International, Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative (BWEC), American Wind Energy Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Show your support by providing donations, educating yourself with the various free resources they provide, joining community efforts for wildlife conservation, and always be nice to bats!

Got Bat Problems Near You?

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Removal and Control

Posted on April 20, 2018 by virginia

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Bats are an incredible species of mammal, and we are lucky to have them as a part of our surrounding eco-system. Their high metabolic needs and diverse diets significantly impact our ecological communities by playing a vital role in pollination, seed dispersion, crop fertilization, insect control, protozoan hosting, ecotourism industries, and more. But where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages.

You see, no matter how wonderful bats are to our environment, they are not the most desirable house guests to have. Nuisance bats are a common problems for both residential and commercial property owners, as they cause a large amount of stress and destruction, and pose a long list of health concerns and safety risks.

For this reason, it is important to treat a nuisance bat problem early on, before you are faced with a bigger one later on. The longer bats roost in a property, the more damage they will cause, which will require more time and labor to resolve. If you suspect that you might have a nuisance bat issue in or around your home, it is helpful to learn the basics surrounding bat removal and control. This may give you some direction and an idea of what to expect if you have bats in the attic or other area of your property.

Continue reading to review some frequently asked questions and answers about bat removal and control to get started.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Do Bats Have Dangerous Diseases?

Bats are known carriers of the Rabies virus, but that does not mean that all bats are infected with rabies. Bats can be carriers, but not be infected. However, they can transmit the virus to another animal via their saliva or blood. The only way to accurately confirm that a bat is infected with rabies is to have their blood tested by a wildlife laboratory professional. Other than rabies, bats can pose several other health risks. Their guano can pose several bio-hazards, but largely, it can produce fungal spores that can cause a respiratory disease called Histoplasmosis, which is transmitted via inhalation. Furthermore, they can carry a wide range of parasites like lice, bat mites, and more.

How Can I Tell if I Have Bats in the House?

There are several distinct indications that bats are active in or around your property. Common signs include peculiar sounds coming from the attic area, walls, ceiling, or roof. In these same areas, you can also look for yellow and brown stains that come from bat urine and droppings. This is another common sign of a large bat infestation. A very telling signs is smelling foul odors from these particular areas. This often indicates an infestation as well.

Seeing piles of bat guano around windows, doors, or other areas of your property is another telling sign that bats are present. You can differentiate bat guano apart from other animal droppings because it looks crumbled and black, and typically contains bits of digested insects. You will commonly find guano in attics, on roofs, and around window seals. Also, if you see bats swarming or flying near your home or roof, you can definitely assume that they are tampering with your home.

Will a Bat Attack Me?

You must understand that bats are more scared of you than you are of them. They are tiny and vulnerable little creatures, and all they want in life is a dark, cozy shelter and a buffet of flying insects. So if you encounter one, whether on your property, in your house, or in nature, it is very unlikely that it will attack you. The only reason a bat might attack a human or pet is if it is rabid, dying, sick, or with it’s young, and it is provoked in some way. This is why dogs seem to get the brunt of all reported bat bites. If you see a bat, do not try to touch, catch, or harm it. If you follow these rules, a bat will likely never attack you.

What Do I Do If There is a Bat in the House?

If you find a bat in your house, do not do anything to provoke it or make it more nervous. Simply acting nervous yourself can startle a scared bat. Here’s what to do instead: First, you need to contact a licensed bat control company for emergency bat removal service. Next, you can try to isolate the bat to one area of the home. So if it is in the bedroom, simply shut the door and leave one all the windows open to encourage the bat to fly outside. Leave the room like this until our bat control specialists arrive.

Where Can I Find Trusted Bat Removal and Control in Virginia?

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097