Behavior and Biology
Wild Life Pest Control
As scary as they may appear, bats are actually quite gentle and even shy. Though they may qualify as nuisance pests, they have long been known as beneficial animals because they eat insects. However, they can become a pest when they move into attics, barns, and soffit areas of our homes. In fact, bats comprise the largest segment of mammals in the world. It is estimated that over 25% of the world’s mammals are bats.
Facts
- Bats can live more than 30 years and fly at speeds of 60 mph
- Bats can find their food in total darkness
- Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour
- Some bats hibernate in caves through the cold winter months
- Bat droppings, called guano, are one of the richest fertilizers
Diseases/Threats
- Ebola, a filovirus zoonotic virus emerged recently
- Marburg virus disease (MVD) from bats is a severe, often fatal illness in humans
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV)
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (also caused by a coronavirus, MERS-CoV) and Nipah (Another Henipavirus)
- Lyssavirus causes rabies isolated from Bats