Why Bats Are Best Left to the Professionals

There are some pest problems we decide to handle on our own. The decision of whether or not we handle a pest problem on our own is often measured by how much of a threat these creatures present and how difficult it will be to get rid of them. For instance, you might decide to tackle an ant problem on your own, especially an ant problem that seems rather straightforward. If you walk out into your garage and see hundreds of ants on a bag of garbage you left by the door, you may take that garbage outside, clean up the area, and see if applying new weather stripping on the side entrance door will keep those ants from invading. That’s easy enough, and it isn’t like you’re going to be in any serious danger if those ants find their way back into your garage.

However, if you were to realize you had a termite infestation, you would be much more likely to contact a pest control professional. Why is that? Because termites are known to cause quite extensive damages to homes and need to be eliminated right away. It makes sense to call an educated and experienced service professional to deal with pests that are destructive and difficult to eliminate without professional help.

But some pest problems fall into a little bit of a gray area, and bats may be one of them. If you’re a brave soul, this pest problem might seem harmless and easy to solve. But you may want to think again.

First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. If you’re thinking, “There is no way I would ever go anywhere near a bat,” then this article probably isn’t for you. We’re looking to address those of you who are likely to chase a bat down, trap it, and then release it back into the wild.

Why would anyone do this? Because bats are fairly harmless. If you are aware that it is possible to stand in a garage with a thousand bats and not get bitten, you may be tempted to try to capture and remove a bat that has gotten into your home thinking it’s no big deal. But here are a few reasons to consider:

• According to research done in 2015 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wild animals accounted for 92.4 percent of reported cases of rabies. And bats were the most reported wildlife species connected to rabies, a serious illness that can be fatal and lead to symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, insomnia, slight or partial paralysis, agitation, hyperactivity, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, and hallucinations.
• Most reported bat bites happened around homes.
• Bites occurred most frequently when bats were being handled.
• Bats infected with rabies act erratically and are more prone to attacking people.

If you find a bat inside your home, it is best to contact a wildlife control professional for removal. Not only will a professional be able to capture and remove that bat in accordance with all the safety protocols in your specific area, your technician can also perform an inspection to determine whether or not you have a bat infestation in your home.

Bat infestations cause a variety of different issues. Beyond the annoyance of having bats making chirping noises as they crawl around inside your walls and the fear of being bitten, bats can cause contamination with their droppings and introduce secondary pests such as fleas, ticks, bat bugs, and more into your home. Your pest control technician will be able to help you remove of all bats present in your home, decontaminate roosts, and seal any cracks and other potential entry points to keep new bats from coming in to replace the ones that were removed.

It is also important to hire a professional to take care of your bat problems as there laws that protect bats in the state of New Jersey. In fact, New Jersey Law prohibits the treatment of bats between May 1st and July 31st. By partnering with a professional, your technician will be able to guide you through the necessary steps to correct your problem properly and in accordance with the law.

Are you dealing with bats in your New Jersey home? Let the bat experts here at ChemTec Pest Control help! We can assist you with the removal of a single bat invader or a full infestation. At ChemTec, we use the most advanced methods and pest control equipment to solve bat problems effectively and humanely. Give us a call today to learn more about our residential pest control services.