Pickering is home to many wildlife species, including bats. Like other wildlife species bats sometimes find themselves in conflict with their human neighbours. Usually, this happens when they fly into buildings accidentally and panic ensues as they try to leave or when they decide to roost or hibernate inside spaces occupied by people. Since the winged mammals sometimes enter homes, especially during the winter, bat removal is an important service for Pickering residents.

The Advantages of Having Bats Around

In the midst of the fear and dislike for bats, the fact that they are beneficial for the environment often gets overlooked.  Bats are nature’s insect control specialists. They keep the insect population in check because they eat small bugs. This includes pesky mosquitoes that bite and transmit diseases.  One bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes per hour and if the whole colony is out feasting, this translates into over a million mosquitoes. That’s quite an impressive mosquito eradication rate! If you’re a gardener, you’ll also appreciate that bats eat those parasites that damage your precious plants.

Another advantage of having bats around is the fact that they help to preserve the natural environment. Bats help to fertilize plants as their droppings are very nutritious to the soil. Additionally, they are reforestation gurus, spreading seeds that later germinate into greenery as they fly from place to place. They are also quite entertaining putting on spectacular shows, especially in the evenings, as they leave their roosts for a night of exploration.

The Disadvantages of Having  Bats Around

Despite all the positives though bats should never be allowed to cohabitate with people. They carry diseases that can be harmful in the domestic setting. In addition, they make life in a building pretty uncomfortable through the terrible smell created by their waste and the disturbing sounds they make as they flutter about inside walls and attics.

Histoplasmosis is a serious respiratory illness that can affect those who live in a house that is also occupied by bats. You become infected when you inhale micro-particles from bat droppings. Many people end up getting infected when they try to remove bats themselves and since they do not have access to the appropriate protective gear that professionals use they end up inhaling the pathogen.

Bat related rabies transmissions are not very popular but the possibility of contracting rabies as a result of bat intrusion is very real. Pets like cats and dogs are in the direct line of fire when it comes to rabies transmissions because they tend to face off with wildlife animals like bats. After pets contract the disease, they often pass it on to humans.  This is why Pickering residents should take extra precautions whenever they suspect that bats may be living inside their homes.

How to Prevent Bat-related Diseases

The health hazards associated with bats can be minimized or prevented if you take certain actions. Chief among these is vaccinating your pets to protect them from rabies. You should also ensure that children avoid handling wild animals like bats. You yourself should never handle a live or dead bat directly- wear protective gloves or use a tool like a shovel instead. You should also bat-proof your home to ensure that the winged mammals do not get inside. Expert bat-proofing is done by the professional wildlife prevention technicians at Skedaddle.

Professional bat removal is the best way to keep the occupants of your Pickering home safe from the health hazards and discomfort created by the flying mammals. When you hire a professional, you reduce the risk of exposing the people and animals in your home to harm. Experts like Skedaddle will visit your home when summoned and remove dead and live bats along with any contaminants that may be left in the space.