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How do I protect myself from rabid
bats?
Though it is not common, bats can
contract rabies. Only laboratory tests can confirm
rabies, however, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) explains that there are a few clinical
signs of a rabid bat:
- Bats that are active during the day are
more likely than others to be rabid.
- Adult bats that are found in unusual places such as on
the ground or on top of a picnic table may suffer from
the rabies virus.
- Do not handle wild bats with bare hands.
- Do not let children or pets interact with a sick or
injured bat
- Educate children about the hazards of handling wildlife
and to notify an adult if a bat is found on the ground
- Pets should have their rabies vaccinations up to date.
What do I do if I have come in
contact with a bat?
The CDC suggests that a person who is
either bitten by a bat, or gets saliva in an open wound,
eyes, mouth, or nose, should clean the area and seek
medical attention immediately.
If bitten, the bat should be captured and tested for
rabies. A bat can be safely captured if the
following procedure is performed while wearing leather
work gloves:
Place a box over the bat. Slide cardboard under
the container so that the bat is trapped inside.
Secure the cardboard with tape and punch small holes in
the cardboard to allow the bat to breathe. Contact
the local animal control agency to have the bat tested
for rabies.
Bats have very small teeth and, while rare, a bite can
go unnoticed. If a bat is in your home and you are
unsure if anyone in the home has come in contact with
the bat, contact the local animal control agency for
assistance.
* * More information on rabies and
rabies prevention can be found on the
CDC Web site.
What is Histoplasmosis?
Histoplasmosis is a respiratory illness
caused by a fungus. This fungus is found in soil
that is enriched with bat or bird feces. This
fungus can be found on chicken farms or caves.
According to the Florida Bat Conservancy, "this illness
has been associated with bats in Florida in only a few
cases, all of which involved visits to bat caves."
Attics and roofs are normally dry areas that do not
provide the proper conditions for this fungus to
survive.
How do I remove bat guano?
Bat guano is usually found as a dry
crumbly substance and can usually be swept up with a
broom. To prevent inhaling dust from guano when
cleaning, lightly spray it with water to keep the dusty
material from becoming air borne, and/or wear a mask.
If large quantities need to be removed, respirators
filtering to two microns are advisable.
Why do bats move into buildings?
Development and landscaping practices
such as Spanish moss removal, trimming of dead palm
fronds, and removal of snags (dead trees) have robbed
bats of much of their native habitat. Many
man-made structures mimic natural bat habitat and serve
as alternative housing. Once a bat has found a
safe and suitable home, it may take up permanent
residence or return annually.
How will a bat colony impact my
house? What kind of damage can bats do to my
property?
Bats do not pose a physical threat to
structures. They are not physically capable of
chewing and gnawing like rodents. However, they
can cause aesthetic problems such as staining or
emitting an odor. This odor usually comes from the
scent gland of Brazilian free-tailed bats, which
frequently inhabit man-made structures. The smell
disappears shortly after the bats abandon the roost.
Many people believe that this smell comes from bat
feces, or guano. But bat guano does not have a
strong odor. It is in the form of dry crumbly
pellets that consists of undigested insect wings or
exoskeleton. It can be left undisturbed if the
area is inaccessible or not in use.
Are there any chemical repellants
that I can use to deter bats?
The only chemical that is registered as
a bat repellant is naphthalene, otherwise known as moth
balls. While the odor can keep bats away, it tends
to fade quickly and the bats can return. The
unpleasant odor can become a nuisance or even a health
risk to the human residence because a large quantity of
naphthalene is needed in order to deter an entire colony
of bats.
Why are bats protected?
Bats provide a vital function in nature
with a direct benefit to people – they eat up to 3000
insects (including mosquitoes and agricultural pests)
per night! But bats are very vulnerable to impacts
from human activities. First, they have lost much
of their native habitat to development and agriculture,
making some species largely dependent on man-made
structures in which to roost, and raise their babies.
Because Florida bats are completely dependent on insect
populations as their sole source of food, they are
sensitive to secondary impacts of pesticides and other
insect controls. Many bat species may concentrate in
large numbers for all or part of their life cycle.
This means that a large number of bats can be harmed by
a single act, leaving local populations vulnerable to
extinction. Finally, unlike rodents, bats
typically have only one or two babies per year. .
Because of this, a colony that is destroyed may take
years to repopulate.
Why do bats need protection?
Why can't I kill bats?
Bats are a very important natural
resource because they can eat up to 3000 insects a
night. For their size, bats are the slowest
reproducing of all mammals. Like manatees or deer,
most bat species can only have one pup per year.
They have also been greatly impacted by neighborhood and
commercial developments expanding into, and taking over
traditional wildlife habitat. Bats have been able
to adapt to habitat loss by moving into man-made
structures. Female bats often roost in large
colonies when they have their pups. These
maternity colonies have all too often been exterminated,
greatly impacting the bat population of Florida.
Why is exclusion the only way to get
rid of bats?
Chemical bat repellants only deter bats
for a short time. Exclusion devices, which allow
bats to exit, but keep them from returning to their
roost after a night's hunt, are the best solution to
keep bats out of man-made structures.
Is trapping and relocating bats
legal?
Bats can not be trapped and relocated.
Bats that are moved to a new location will simply return
to their roost site, even if it requires flying several
miles. Capturing bats can only be done by a person
with a Special Purpose permit. Bats are very
fragile animals that can be easily harmed if handled.
Further, it is very difficult to find every bat in a
colony because they can hide in very small crevices.
Those that are trapped for relocation can be harmed very
easily, and those that are not found while trapping is
performed can consequently be trapped inside of the
structure after the structure's opening has been sealed.
The entombed bats may die in walls or attics (causing a
human health hazard) or try to find their way out
through air conditioning vents which lead into human
living quarters. Mechanical exclusion devices are
the only recommended way to remove bats from buildings.
Persons or companies hired to conduct bat exclusions who
will work in, on, or under a building should be licensed
by FDACS (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services).
Why are there seasonal restrictions
for conducting exclusions? Why can't I exclude
bats during maternity season? Is there a time when bats
cannot be excluded?
As of July 1, 2008, it is illegal to
exclude bats from a structure between April 16 and
August 14. This is because a colony of female bats
may be roosting inside along with their pups. Like
all mammals, the babies need their mothers' milk until
they are old enough to feed themselves. Because
these babies are not able to fly, excluding the adults
from the roost would leave the pups trapped inside
without their mothers to care for them.
What is a bat maternity season?
Maternity season is the time period in
which female bats give birth and rear their young.
Some bat species form maternity colonies in which the
pups are raised in colonial roosts until they are able
to fly and hunt for themselves. These colonies may form
in April and usually disperse in mid August, however
some colonies might take up residents permanently.
Exclusion may legally be performed from August 15 to
April 15.
When is maternity season?
Maternity colonies are formed between
April and August. At this time, the pups are fed
by their mothers' milk. When the mothers hunt at
night, they may come back to their roost in intervals to
nurse the pups. Meanwhile, the pups are learning to
stretch and flap their wings. Many pups will be
able to take their first flights within three weeks of
their birthdates. By mid August, the pups will
have learned to fly, use echolocation, and hunt for
insects. In order to prevent entombment of
flightless young, it is illegal to use bat exclusion
devices between the dates of April 16 to August 14.
Do bats hibernate in Florida?
A few bat species have been found
hibernating in Florida caves, but most species in
Florida are active year round. Bats undergo a state of
torpor during the day, in which heart rate and body
temperature decrease so that they can conserve energy.
If forced to fly during the day, bats would first have
to raise their body temperature and heart rate, and then
they would quickly fly to the nearest dark place to
hide.
Why are there temperature
restrictions on when exclusions can be performed?
Why can't bats be excluded in cold weather?
When outdoor temperatures begin to drop,
so does insect activity. Therefore, when colder
weather comes to Florida, there is a limited food supply
and some bats may become inactive. Some bats may
not exit the structure in which they roost during these
cold weather spells. In order to keep bats from
being trapped inside a structure, bat exclusion devices
may not be used if the National Weather Service
forecasts four consecutive days of the low temperature
to be below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
What do bats eat?
Bats found in Florida have a diet
consisting of a wide variety of night flying insects,
such as mosquitoes, moths, and agricultural pests.
How much does a bat eat?
A single bat can eat up to 3000insects a
night.
Can I legally have a pet bat?
Bats cannot be collected in the wild and
taken as pets, nor can they be bought or sold as pets.
Injured or orphaned bats are cared for by wildlife
rehabilitators and some are used in programs to educate
the public about bats.
Are bats protected by law?
Yes. In Florida, it is illegal to kill
any bat without a permit. It is also illegal to
exclude bats from a roost during the maternity season
(between April 16 and August 14), or when the National
Weather Service forecasts four consecutive days of the
low temperature to be below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bats are considered Florida wildlife and are protected
under the Florida Administrative Code Chapter
68A-4.001General Prohibitions, as well as Chapter
68A-9.010:
Chapter 68A-4.001 General Prohibitions:
No wildlife or freshwater fish or their nests, eggs,
young, homes or dens shall be taken, transported,
stored, served, bought, sold, or possessed in any manner
or quantity at any time except as specifically permitted
by these rules nor shall anyone take, poison, store,
buy, sell, possess, or wantonly or willfully waste the
same except as specifically permitted by these rules.
Chapter 68A-9.010 Taking Nuisance
Wildlife: Any person owning property may take
nuisance wildlife or they may authorize another person
to take nuisance wildlife on their behalf except those
species listed in subsection (1) below on their property
by any method except those methods listed in subsection
(2) below…
- Wildlife prohibited to take as nuisance wildlife:
- Bats - Except that bats may be taken either when:
- that take is incidental to the use of an
exclusion device, a device which allows
escape from and blocks re-entry into a roost
site located within a structure (including
chemical repellants), at any time from
August 15 to April 15 or
- that take is incidental to permanent repairs which prohibit the egress of
bats from a roost site located within a structure provided an exclusion device
as described in sub-subparagraph a. above is used for a minimum of four
consecutive days/nights for which the low temperature is forecasted by the U.S.
National Weather Service to remain above 50°F prior to repairs and during the
time-period specified.
- Methods that may not be used to take nuisance wildlife:
- Bat exclusion devices or any other
intentional use of a device or material at a
roost site which may prevent or inhibit the free
ingress and/or egress of bats from April 16
through August 14.
Do bats fly during the day?
Bats living in Florida do not usually
fly during the day. There are bird species, such
as chimney swifts and swallows that have a flight
pattern resembling bats. However, bats are nocturnal
and fly when hunting at night. Even if a bat roost
is disturbed during the day, bats aren't likely to fly.
Bats undergo a state of torpor during the day, in which
heart rate and body temperature decrease so that they
can conserve energy. If forced to fly during the
day, bats would first have to raise their body
temperature and heart rate, and then they would quickly
fly to the nearest dark place to hide.
Where do bats live?
Different species utilize different
habitats. Solitary bats are found in dead fronds
of palm trees, Spanish moss and tree foliage.
Colonial bats live in cracks, crevices and hollows of
trees, caves, and manmade structures including
buildings, bridges, tile roofs and bat houses.
When do bats mate?
Bats in Florida usually mate in the
fall; however the female is able to hold the sperm in
the reproductive tract until the spring when the weather
is warmer and the insect population increases.
Females will then ovulate, fertilization occurs, and
pups are born from mid April through July.
When do bats have their babies?
A bat doesn't reach sexual maturity
until it is about one year old. Most bats in
Florida will only have one reproductive cycle per year.
In Florida, most bat pups are born from mid April to
July. The mother bat can be pregnant from 45-90
days, depending on the species.
How long does it take for a baby bat
(pup) to learn to fly?
Pups will start flapping their wings
when they are about three weeks old. However, a
young bat will need to develop agility and echolocation
(navigating by sound) skills before it can successfully
fly and hunt. While learning these skills, a pup
will still need its mother's milk for nourishment.
In Florida, a young bat will usually be able to fly and
hunt for itself by mid August, but will not be sexually
mature until it is around one year old.
Are bats rodents?
No. Rodents like mice and rats are small
mammals that have many large litters annually and have a
short lifespan. Bats are thought to be more
closely related to humans than to rodents! They
are the longest lived mammals for their size, sometimes
living more than 30 years. For most species,
female bats can only give birth to one pup per year and
sexual maturity is not even reached until the pup is a
year old. Many rodents can reach sexual maturity in a
matter of a month.
Can bats see? Are bats blind?
Contrary to popular belief, bats are not
blind. They see when there is sufficient light.
Because they fly at night, their vision is adapted for
dim light settings. However, bats can maneuver in
complete darkness with the use of echolocation: a
bat makes high pitched sounds and listens for them to
echo back to determine how far away it is from an
object, allowing the bat to maneuver around the object
and hunt for food.
How many bat species can be found in
Florida?
Florida has 13 resident species.
An additional 7 species have been found on rare
occasions.
When do bats hunt?
Florida bats are nocturnal animals that
will hunt any time from dusk to dawn.
How can I build a bat house? Where
can I buy a bat house?
You can find instruction on building or
buying bat houses at either one of the following Web
sites:
www.floridabats.org
www.flybynightinc.org
What is a bat house?
Bat houses are structures built to serve
as a roost for bats, and are a great way to attract bats
to a person's backyard. Small backyard bat houses
are similar in size to a bird house. A community
bat house is a large structure built to attract many
bats which can provide insect control for the
surrounding neighborhood.
I have an injured bat. What do I do?
If you see a bat that is lying on the
ground or injured in some way, contact the Florida Bat
Conservancy at (727) 710-BATS(2287).
Do bats migrate?
Most bat species in Florida do not
migrate. In the United States, there are some
species that are known to migrate hundreds of miles.
Female bats are more likely to migrate than males and
are also more likely to travel farther in order to find
an appropriate roost to give birth and care for their
young.
What is White Nose Syndrome in Bats?
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) is named for a
white fungus that has been found covering the muzzles of
hibernating bats in the northeastern part of the United
States. Thousands of bats with WNS have died.
However, researchers are uncertain whether the fungus is
causing the bats to die, or the fungus is secondary to
some other primary cause of death, such as a virus or
environmental contaminant. Bats known to be
affected by WNS include the eastern pipistrelle,
northern long-eared bat, small-footed bat, little brown
bat, and the Indiana bat, which is protected by the
Endangered Species Act.
Why does this issue matter for
Floridians?
No cases of WNS have been found in
Florida, but WNS is apparently spreading and biologists
are still not certain whether bats or people, or both
bats and people are transmitting WNS to new sites. Bats
affected with WNS have been found in caves in New York,
Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. In
Florida, we have three species of bats that often roost
in caves and there is an active community of "cavers" -
people who regularly explore caves. Cavers that
travel to the northeastern United States and explore
caves there should disinfect their equipment as
described in the information at the link below.
This will help ensure that WNS is not transmitted to
bats that roost in Florida caves.
Anyone in Florida who finds bats that appear sick, or
are acting in an unusual manner, should report that
information by calling FWC's Wildlife Alert phone
number. Bats affected by WNS do not always have
the white fungus, instead they may only appear emaciated
or severely dehydrated. Other signs of WNS include
bats flying outside or near cave openings during the
day, and dead or dying bats on the ground. Human health
implications of WNS are not known, but there is no
indication that people have been affected by WNS or
exposure sick bats. Regardless, the public should
never handle sick, injured, or dead bats.
For additional information on WNS and
methods to appropriately disinfect caving equipment, go
to this link:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html
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