Pestgon FactSheet
“ If they fly they die…if they crawl they fall”

BATS (Order Chiroptera)

Description:

Bats are flying, fur bearing, mammals, often seen flying in an erratic manner, foraging for insects in the twilight sky of summer. Most have a facial look much like a mouse with wings. The wings are thin, gray in color and opaque, and bats have no visible tail. Some have very big ears compared to their size. Most local bats are approximately 3 inches long with a wingspan of 4 to 6 inches.

Biology:
There are about 40 species of bats north of the Mexican border. Most are found in the southwest. The natural habitat of bats is dark secluded areas such as caves and hollows, so they naturally use wall voids, attics and ceiling voids of buildings. Bats are nocturnal hunters and easily eat their weight in insects every night. So, in their natural habitat they are protected as a beneficial insect predator. Some species are colonial and develop very large roosting colonies.

Economic Impact:
To begin with, the noise created by squeaking, scratching and scrambling bats, in attics, walls and building voids can become very objectionable. Pestgon, Inc. has noted that bats tend to return to the same roosting sites and, it is said they live over twenty years. The build up of fecal droppings (guano) and urine, with their attendant ammonia odors, can become very pungent and unbearable. These droppings can create damaging stains, impregnating the wood and interior structure, thereby causing great expense to clean up the offensive problem. Also, bats are serious disease carriers, including deadly rabies and Valley Fever. They are therefore, a public health hazard.

Management Methods:
Pestgon, Inc. is very knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with nuisance bat problems in commercial, office and industrial buildings. Prevention and exclusion are the first line of defense. Also, creating one-way exits with no return and use of repellents, such as bright lights and drafts are employed as the situation calls for.