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For release: August 5, 2008
Increase in Mosquito Population Means More Bats
this Month
“Bug Superheroes” Also Bring Health & Damage
Concerns
An
increase in the mosquito population in Ontario
and Quebec this summer will result in more
conflicts with bats. Insects are an important
part of the diets of these “bug superheroes,”
but these creatures also bring with them human
health concerns and major damage.
“We seem
to have this dual fascination with bats,” says
Humane Wildlife Control President Bill Dowd. “On
one hand, we fear them because of their scary
looks and ‘blood-sucking’ reputation. On the
other hand, we’re fascinated by them too and
they do help control pesky mosquitoes” he adds.
Increased Potential for Human Contact and Rabies
Exposure
Bats
this summer will be fed well on a diet of
mosquitoes and other insects – up to 3,000 per
night. As a result, survival and birth rates
will be up and more baby bats living in attics
and roofs will gain access to living spaces.
This means more conflicts with people.
Bats
have very small teeth and bites can go
undetected, especially when sleeping. Bats are
the most common carriers of rabies. Health units
advise anyone finding a bat in their living
space in the morning or who have come into
contact with a bat to seek immediate medical
attention. Rabies can cause severe illness and
death if not treated promptly, and health units
err on the side of caution.
Feces
and Access Key to Damage Problems
-
Bats
can fit through a hole the size of a dime
and can easily gain entry to attics, walls,
crawlspaces, roofs and sheds.
-
Droppings (guano) and dead bats can cause
severe odour, damage and contamination of
property and heating/AC systems.
-
Colonies can range in size from a few to
several hundred, depending on the space and
availability of food sources.
Brown
Bats Can Carry Other Diseases
-
Bed
bugs are a growing problem in Ontario and
Quebec cities. Bats are common carriers of
bed bugs, which multiply and look for other
hosts, such as pets and people, when they
roost in buildings. They are extremely
difficult to eradicate and bites can cause
serious itching and welts.
-
If
inhaled by humans, bat guano can cause an
incurable respiratory disease called
histoplasmosis. The very young, very old and
those with impaired immune systems are at
greatest risk for severe illness.
Difficult to Detect, Remove and Keep Out
-
Health units do not recommend people remove
bats themselves because of potential health
risks.
-
Brown bats are very difficult to detect and
should be removed before temperatures get
colder or they will go dormant for the
winter and proper sealing will ensure they
do not return.
-
Bats
feed on a 24-48 hour cycle. Plugging a hole
after they leave at night may seal half the
colony in and cause building damage and
disease.
Humane and Effective Removal the Best Method
Humane
Wildlife Control uses humane methods to remove
bats and keep babies with their mothers.
Professional operators guarantee their work –
both the removal of the bat and making sure they
don’t gain access.
Humane
Wildlife Control has been an industry leader
since 1989, and has pioneered several humane
removal and exclusion techniques for a wide
variety of urban animals.
- 30 -
For more information:
Bill Dowd, President
1-877-222-3459 ext 220
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