Tag Archives: Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Do Bats Live Alone or in Groups?

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Here in Virginia, there are several species of bat that call our state home. In fact, there are 16 in particular that are most common, 4 of which are listed as endangered. These species include the Virginia Big-Eared bat, Rafinesque’s Big-Eared bat, Gray bat, Indiana bat, Hoary bat, Silver-Haired, Seminole bat, Townsend’s Big-Eared bat, Eastern Red bat, Eastern Pipistrelle bat, American Long-Eared  bat, Eastern Small-footed bat, Lump-Nosed bat, Ozark Big-Eared bat, Northern Long-eared bat, and Northern Myotis.

Each of these bat species are unique in behavior, appearance, reproduction, and more. When it comes to home life, this is quite evident. Most bats live in large colonies, sometimes in the hundreds, thousands, and in nature, millions. However, some bats prefer a more solitary lifestyle. In fact, all bat species can be classified as either solitary or social.

Continue reading to learn the difference between solitary and social bats, including some examples of species that fit these classifications.

Bat Removal Control Virginia 2
Pipstrelle Species are Social Bats.

Social Bat Species

Social bats are what we would call colonists because they prefer to colonize in large groups, especially during hibernation in the winter season. Typically, social bat species are discovered nesting (called roosting) in abandoned mines, buildings, hollowed trees, caves, and even residential settings, like attic spaces and wall cavities.

Some examples of social bat species include the Little Brown bat, Big Brown bat, Tri-Colored bat (formally known as Pipistrelle), Evening bat, Indiana bat, and Northern Long-Eared bat. Some of these species are common in the Virginia areas, and often times, the culprit of attic infestations.

Types of Social Bats:

? Big Brown Bat

? Evening Bat

? Gray Bat

? Indiana Bat

? Little Brown Bat

? Northern Long-Eared Bat

? Southeastern Bat

? Tri-Colored Bat (formally Pipistrelle)

Solitary Bat Species

In contrast to social bat species, solitary bats are usually loners. Rather than roosting in colonies, solitary bats live alone and even migrate south alone to warmer areas for the winter. On the other hand, a few species are known to choose hibernation over migration in the winter. Most often, solitary bats are known to make their shelters in hollowed trees growing along riverbeds, or even in deep rock crevices. Examples of solitary bat species include the Hoary bat, Red Bat, and Silver-Haired bat.

Types of Solitary Bats:

? Silver-Haired Bat

? Red Bat

? Hoary Bat

How to Get Rid of Nuisance Bats

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097
Virginia Bat Removal and Control
Call 804-729-9097

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.

Is a Bat Mite the Same Thing as a Bed Bug?

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When you have a bat infestation in your home, there are a lot of consequences that can result. Not only do bats leave behind a disastrous mess of droppings, debris, and structural damage, they also pose health and safety risks as common carriers of several infectious diseases. Aside from disease and infection, many property owners tend to forget about the pests associated with bat infestations.

You see, bats also spread a wide range of parasites and more, such as fleas, ticks, lice, and most commonly, bat mites. As for the ladder, there is much confusion on what a bat mite is, and whether or not it is simply a bed bug. This is perfectly understandable since the two are virtually identical at first glance.

Continue reading to learn the difference between the two pests, and what you need to do about them.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Bat Mite

Bat Mites vs. Bed Bugs

Although they have several similarities, bat mites are not the same as bed bugs. They look the same, and even produce the same irritating problems, but they are two different pests. It is a common occurrence for homeowners to think they have a bed bug problem, when it’s actually bat bugs. Just like bed bugs, bat bugs will feed on mammalian hosts. However, they do not stick to their host like bed bugs do. Instead, they lie and wait for the right time to feed; and when they are done, they detach.

Bat mites are very similar to bed bugs, which is why they are commonly mistaken for one another. Bed bugs leave little bites that cause an itchy, burning rash. They typically dwell in bed sheets and other warm areas of a home. Bat mites are carried on bats themselves and move about by jumping and leaping from their host. If your children are waking up with little bites in their skin after a night of sleeping, do not rule out bed bugs right away.

What To Do If You Find BED BUGS

If you find bat mites or bed bugs, start by vacuuming the carpet. Then wash all the sheets, clothes, and rugs in the surrounding area. If this does not solve the problem, then bat mites could be the culprit. Have your home inspected by a professional to see if there are any signs of bats living near or on your property.

If there are no bats, perhaps you have an allergy situation on your hands, or you have not yet eradicated the bed bug infestation. In this case, you may need professional pest extermination services. Regardless of which pest you have in your home, you will need immediate pest integration management to resolve the issue before it can become out of control.

Bat Mite Extermination

Keep in mind that, as long as their host remains, bat bugs will also remain, and continue to come back over and over again. No matter how many times your home is fumigated, sprayed, or cleaned, bat mites won’t go away permanently until you get rid of the bats first. Contact a licensed Virginia bat removal and control company for professional bat exclusion. They can also provide bat cleanup and restoration services, including integrated pest management and decontamination.

Treating Bat Bug Bites

Bat mite bites can be treated with simple, over-the-counter remedies, such as skin creams, antihistamines, and lotions. They can also be treated with prescription medications and ointments under the supervision of a family doctor. The type of treatment required depends on the severity of the reaction. If a pet such as a dog or cat shows signs of skin irritations, it is important to take them to their vet clinic for professional examination and treatment.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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.

Call Virginia Bat Pros for Expert Bat Removal and Control at a Fair Price

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Virginia Bat Pros for is your solution to prompt and professional bat exclusion and proofing services at an affordable price! We do everything in our power to ensure your property is protected against nuisance bats!

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

What We Do

Virginia Bat Pros, we are licensed and insured bat removal and control specialists with more than 27 combined years of hands-on experience in the industry. We offer a wide range of professional bat abatement services for both residential and commercial clients, including bat extraction, exclusion, prevention, cleanup and sanitation, damage repairs and restoration, emergency 24 hour service, estimates, inspections, and much more.

Where We Do It

For your convenience, we serve most of the state if Virginia, including all areas near Petersburg, Short Pump, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and all of their surrounding areas. We retain the latest technologies and state of the art equipment, so you can feel confident that our licensed and insured bat control professionals can eliminate your nuisance wildlife problem within a time frame that is convenient for you, and at a price you can afford.

Why Choose Us?

Here at Virginia Bat Removal, our company is Bat Standards Compliant and Certified, and retains the most advanced knowledge and latest technologies to perform safe and effective bat extraction and exclusion. As members of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA), you can trust that we take our job very seriously. We never use inhumane or lethal methods to remove bats, and instead, implement scientifically-proven strategies that will get rid of bats without harming them or your home. Once we extract bats from a property, they are relocated to a faraway, safe habitat where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace.

Contact Us Today!

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Contact Virginia Bat Removal 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. And as a company dedicated to old-fashioned values of integrity, quality, and respect, you can trust that our rates are affordable! Our professionals are focused on safe and effective results, but more importantly, our client’s complete satisfaction. So please give us a call anytime for free estimates, advice, or information.

A List of Household Spices to Keep Bats Away

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Bats are just like every other mammal in terms of likes and dislikes. There are several things that bats find quite enjoyable, and several others they stay far away from. If you are noticing an increase in nuisance bat activity around your property, you can try a safe and humane approach using simple, around-the-house spices and other ingredients.

Continue reading to review a list of spices and scents that bats absolutely detest, and how to use them for bat proofing around the property.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Below are some spices and scents that drive bats crazy! Use them in combination with water to create a solution that can be sprayed around your yard and house in order to keep bats at bay. They will work in powdered form, or as oils, liquids, and extracts.

Spices and Scents That Bats Hate:

✅ Menthol
✅ Eucalyptus
✅ Peppermint
✅ Spearmint
✅ Cayenne Pepper
✅ Black Pepper
✅ Chili Pepper
✅ Tabasco® Sauce
✅ Moth Balls

How to Make Homemade Bat Repellent

You will need a clean plastic spray bottle, water, and your choice of household ingredients from the items listed above. Once you have all your materials gathered, combine clean water with a moderate amount of each ingredient and transfer it to a spray bottle. Then simply spray the perimeter of your lawn with the solution, or in areas where you have noticed increased bat activity. After each rainfall, reapply until the bats decide your home is not a comfortable spot to hang out.

Special Note: If you are using hot sauce, be careful spraying the solution in areas where your pets hang out. It can be harmful to their eyes, mouth, nose, and throat.

Important Reminder About Bat Control

Keep in mind that you should never, under any circumstances whatsoever, attempt to touch, trap, harm, or kill a bat. This solution is the safest way you can get rid of bats all on your own, and without harming yourself, your pets, the bats, or the surrounding the environment.

What To Do About Nuisance Bats

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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, including Richmond, Petersburg, Short Pump, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and more. Request a free estimate, today.

What Happens to Bats After Bat Removal?

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Nuisance bats can be a big problem for property owners. They can cause a wide range of structural damages, and can even pose several health risks to people and pets. Fortunately, there are qualified wildlife rescue and control companies that specialize in safe and humane bat removal. They will extract nuisance bats, non-lethally of course, and then bat-proof your property to prevent future infestations. They may even be able to perform cleanup and restoration services for the leftover bat damages, including excrement removal, decontamination, and minor structural repairs (i.e. attic insulation, drywall, floorboards, odor management, etc.).

But once a wildlife control company removes bats, what do they do with them? Continue reading to learn more about the industry practices for bat rehabilitation and relocation.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Where Do Bats Go?

When a licensed and insured wildlife removal and control company arrives to remove a bat, they come fully equipped with everything they need to keep the bat safe and comfortable. They carry a bat rescue kit that contains items like a small escape-proof cage lined with bedding, 1cc syringes loaded with a sodium lactate solution (Ringer’s®) to keep the bat hydrated, meal worms for juvenile or adult bats, leather gloves, an extendable pole, and cloths for wrapping the bat up to be carried to its cage.

Once the wildlife control operator has the bat safely in its transport cage, they transfer it to a wildlife rehabilitation laboratory to be screened for CNS rabies symptoms. Once the bat has been cleared of Rabies, it is time to relocate it to a safe and faraway habitat where it can live out the remainder of its life, peacefully and protected.

DIY Bat Removal is Not an Option

Those with a nuisance wild animal control permit are the only individuals authorized to extract, transport, and relocate bats. They operate their business within accepted industry standards and best practices, and in accordance with local, state, and federal laws that govern wildlife. Here are some laws you should know about before you attempt to deal with nuisance bats on your own:

In Virginia it is illegal to:

1) Transport, release, or relocate a bat anywhere other than the property it was caught on. (4VAC15-30-50)

2) Poison any animal (including bat) other than rats and mice on your property. (4VAC15-40-50)

According to the Endangered Species Act, it is a Federal offense to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct” any endangered or threatened species.”

Furthermore…

Out of the 16 common species of bat in Virginia, there are 3 species that are Federally-endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act. These species include the Gray bat (Myotis grisescens), Indiana bat (Myotis Soladis), and Virginia Big-Eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus).

If you find a bat in the house with multiple occupants (especially children), the Virginia Department of Health strongly encourages to have the bat tested for Rabies. But do not panic; less than ½ of 1% of all bats carry the Rabies virus.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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.

Facts About White-Nose Syndrome and Bats

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White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a bat killing disease that has already wiped out millions of bats across the world. Learn more about this debilitating bat disease, and what you should do if you are concerned about bat activity around your house.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097


White-Nose Syndrome is a fatal disease that affects hibernating bat colonies. It is named after its most distinct symptom, which is a white-colored film that develops on the snouts and wings of infected bats. The disease is caused by a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which is formerly known as Geomyces destructans.

It tends to affects bats since the fungus cannot thrive in temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius. Caves in wintertime make for the perfect growth conditions for this type of fungus; and many bat colonies use caves just like these to hibernate for the season. Bats decrease their metabolic rate and drop their body temperature to save energy during hibernation.

The disease causes bats to wake up more often in warmer temperatures. This disruption in hibernacula jeopardizes their energy and fat reserves. It causes them to use up more energy, lose body fat, and eventually starve to death. In later stages of the disease, infected bats in will also become dehydrated, suffer from acidification, and have scarring of the wings, which hinders their flying abilities. It is suggested by researchers that infected bats use twice as much energy as a healthy bat would.

The disease usually spreads direct contact with other infected bats, or by picking up the fungus from contact with contaminated surfaces. White-Nose Syndrome causes very high death rates and population regressions in various species of bat, such as the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), federally-protected Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), and Northern Long-Eared bat (Myotis spetentronalis).

What To Do About Nuisance Bats

Although bats are beloved and significant mammals that provide a wide range of benefits for our surrounding eco-systems, they can sometimes lose their way and become a pest problem for residential and commercial homeowners. If you are concerned that the bat activity around your home or building has continued to increase, it may be time for some professional intervention, just to be sure your property is protected from potential break-ins and infestations. Contact a licensed Virginia bat removal and control specialist for professional inspections, advice, and service. They can provide safe, humane, and effective solutions to your current and future bat problems.

Contact Our Bat Pros Today

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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.

The Top Three Signs that You Have Bats in the House

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Bat intrusion is a common situation faced by homeowners. Virginia bats are as little as 3/8th of an inch, which means they can easily squeeze into the tiniest gap or crevice in roofing, siding, drywall, and more. To make matters worse, bats are not usually solitary. This means that bat infestations typically come in the multiples. However, it is possible to find a lone bat in your house too. Regardless of quantity, there are three common signs that indicate you have a bat problem.

By knowing and looking for these particular signs, you can stop a bat intrusion problem before it gets too out of control. If a bat infestation is not properly resolved within a short amount of time, damages and biohazards will build up with every passing day. This results in costlier repairs and longer turnaround times.

Continue reading to review the top three signs that you have bats in the house, and who to call for trusted bat removal and control near you.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Bat Guano on a Roof

➀ You Can See a Bat in Your House

Although it seems obvious, or even a bit sarcastic, the truth is that the number one sign of a bat in the house is actually spotting one inside. Whether dead or alive, it is important to know exactly how to react to this type of situation. Read our article, “What To Do If You Find a Lone Bat in the House” for guidance on this subject. You can also contact one of our licensed Virginia bat removal specialists at 804-729-9097 for free advice or emergency 24 hour assistance, anytime. Common areas for bats to dwell inside include the attic, walls, and crawl space. Pay attention to these areas when inspecting your home for bat or wildlife activity.

➁ You Hear Strange Chattering Noises in the Wall

Bats are nocturnal; so if you have some in your house, it is common to hear their chitter-chatter during dusk and dawn hours. During these times, they are often coming and going from their roost. Typical sounds can be described as tweeting, squealing, chirping, chattering, and screeching. Because walls are thin and bats like to roost in them, you can often hear their sounds from outside of the wall if you have a bat infestation.

➂ You Find an Accumulation of Rodent-Like Droppings

Bat droppings, known as guano, looks like rodent droppings. If you have a bat intrusion, you will likely see an accumulation of bat guano around walls and window sills, as well as, roofs and gutters. Where ever the bats are entering and exiting your home, there will be a pile up of droppings as concrete evidence. Our professional Virginia bat removal and control company has the knowledge and experience to identify bat guano and offer workable solutions for your bat infestation and damage repair needs.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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, including bat cleanup and restorations for bat damages, insurance work, and more. Request a free estimate, anytime.

Can I Keep a Stray Baby Bat as a Pet?

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Baby Bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

It is very possible to find a stray baby bat on the ground, especially if you are near forested areas and large bodies of water. Baby bats, known as “kits”, are sometimes deserted in nature for several reasons. Some common reasons include blue jay attacks and storms, but most often, kits are lost in the mix of being moved from one roost to another by their mothers. Other times, baby bats are deserted by their mothers if they are sick or injured. Injuries can occur from high falls, cats and other predators, and more. If a kit is infected with rabies or another transmissible disease, it is likely that they were left by their mothers to, like most rabid animals, find a secluded spot to die quietly.

Regardless of why a baby bat has become isolated and grounded, it is important that you leave it right where you found it, and keep moving. If you suspect that the bat could be rabid, immediately contact a local Virginia bat control company to report the bat and eliminate the hazard. You must understand that you are not qualified to rehabilitate an injured bat, nor raise and care for a wild bat as a pet.

Here’s why you should never keep a stray bat as a pet:

Bat Lifespan

There are many facts surrounding pet bats that should persuade you to never domesticate one. For example, bats can live up to 25 years or more in the wild. However, most bats only live an average of one year in domestication. This is cruel and unusual punishment for such a significant mammal in our ecosystem. Bats are meant to be out in the open, not enclosed in a controlled environment. In order to have a true quality of life, they need to be free from domestication.

Pet Bat Laws

There are also various laws that protect wildlife, including bats, from domestication, hunting, trapping, and more. This means that owning a pet bat is illegal on many levels. State and federal governments closely regulate the capturing and transportation of wild bats from nature. Furthermore, in order to be legally certified to work with bats in these regards, one would require USDA permits from the local Animal Health Inspection Service.

If You Find a Stray or Injured Bat

If you are in nature away from the general public, the best course of action to take upon finding a stray or injured bat is to keep on walking. Do not mind it any attention, and allow nature to take its course. However, if you are in a place where people often visit, such as your neighborhood or a local park, it is important to report the bat to the proper authorities to avoid any future injuries to the bat or other people. Contact a Virginia bat control company and tell them where the bat is located. They will safely and humanely retrieve and relocate the bat.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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, including Richmond, Petersburg, Short Pump, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and more. Request a free estimate, today.

Can I Get Rid of Bats Myself?

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Nuisance bat problems require serious solutions that can only be performed by an authorized professional. However, you can improve the strategies and services of a licensed bat removal company by implementing your own methods of bat control. Continue reading to learn why bat removal and control is not a do-it-yourself job, and what you can do to help keep bats away from your property.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Bat Diseases

Bats are a wild animal, and although they have been studied and researched for hundreds of years, their wild nature makes them unpredictable. This is one of many reasons why bat removal is only a job for a professional exclusionists. Bats in Michigan are common carriers of deadly and infectious diseases, including Rabies. If provoked, stunned, or cornered, a bat might attack out of self-defense. This is equally likely if a bat is infected or ill. Not only are bat bites painful, they are the most common means of transmitting these dangerous diseases. This is why pet vaccinations are also so vital. Curious dogs and cats are known to pester a lone bat or two.

Legalities and Licenses

Another key reason why bat removal and control is a job for a professional company is the law. You must have the proper licensing and training to perform bat extraction and exclusion services. Furthermore, you must strictly adhere to all local and federal laws that govern wildlife, as well as, operate within all industry accepted best practice, which includes non-lethal methods of animal control. In addition to having the proper permits and licenses, bat removal and control requires professional equipment and resources. A professional bat removal company retains these specialized materials, and can implement safe and humane bat extraction and exclusion without killing or harming animals.

Bat Cleanup and Restoration

Once bats are removed and excluded from a property, there is still a lot more work to be done. That is because bats leave behind unhygienic messes and a load of structural damages. A professional company has the equipment, supplies, training, and resources to safely and responsibly decontaminate and sanitize the affected area, as well as, restore any structural damages caused by roosting. Also, many companies accept insurance claim work for structural damage repair caused by bats. This is another reason why bat removal is not a “DIY” job.

However, here are some things you can do yourself to help get rid of bats:

☑ Install motion lighting.

☑ Install ultrasonic sound machines.

☑ Sprinkle spices around areas with high bat activity (i.e. menthol, peppermint, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, etc.).

☑ Keep ammonia-soaked cotton balls in areas with high bat activity (i.e. attics, crawl spaces, under porches, etc.).

☑ Have your property’s siding, roofing, and foundations inspected for gaps or openings.

☑ Repair torn or broken window screens.

Contact a Virginia Bat Removal Company Today!

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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.

The Differences Between Megabats and Microbats

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There are two primary suborders that all bats can be categorized in depending on their particular biologics and physiognomies. These suborders are Microchiroptera and Megachiroptera. Continue reading to learn about them both, and the attributes that set them apart.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Megachiroptera – Fruit Bat

Classification of Bats

Bats are part of the Animal Kingdom, and further broken down into narrower classifications, including the Chordata Phylum, Mammalia Class, and of course, the Chiroptera Order. Within the Chirptera Order, bats are categorized into one of two suborders: Microchiroptera and Megachiroptera. Also referred to as microbats and megabats, these suborders are quite different in size, diet, habitat, and more.

Microchiroptera – Microbats

Microchiroptera bats are small, echolocating bats that maintain an insectivorous diet, with the exception of Vampire Bat species, which retain a dietary trait called hemotophagy, and consumes small droplets of blood on livestock like cows, horses, sheep, and goats. Other than Vampire Bats, microbats primarily eat a wide variety of insects, including moths, flies, mosquitos, grasshoppers, dragonflies, crickets, beetles, termites, ants, and more. It is rare, but some larger species of microbat hunt birds, lizards, frogs, smaller bats, or even fish. They generally roost in trees, caves, abandoned mines, and buildings in forested or wooded areas that are near bodies of water. Microbats make up the nuisance bat populations in our area of the country, with 9 species of bat native to Virginia.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Microchiroptera Bat

In appearance, microbats are much smaller than megabats. They have much smaller bodies and smaller eyes, but they are not blind. They can see quite well, and use their echolocating abilities to better dive and dart for prey. Microbats also lack the claw at the second finger of the forelimb. As for ears, microbats have larger ears that retain a tragus, which is thought to aid in echolocation. Megabats have small ears and no tragus, but large visual cortexes that allow them to see well.

Megachiroptera – Megabats

Megachiroptera bats only includes one family, Pteropodidae, but can be further narrowed into 7 Subfamilies, including Nyctimeninae, Cynopterinae, Harpiyonycterinae, Macroglossinae, Pteropodinae, Rousettinae, and Epomophorinae, and 166 different species. Also known as megabats, old world fruit bats, and simply, fruit bats, Megachiroptera is a significantly different suborder of bats compared to Microchiroptera. They are much larger in size, and live in tropical and subtropical climates. The most significant difference is that they do not possess echolocation abilities, nor do they eat insects.

Instead, megabats have large eyes and have great vision. Furthermore, they maintain nectarivores and frugivorous diets that primarily consist of plant material, such as fruit, nectar, or pollen. Megabats make their homes in trees, shrubs, and sometimes caves located near edges of water. They play an integral role in the surrounding ecosystem because they help to spread seeds and pollen through feeding and elimination.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

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, including Richmond, Petersburg, Short Pump, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and all of their 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.