Hate Mosquitoes? Then You Should Love Bats

When you think of bats, do you imagine vampires sucking your blood or scary Halloween decorations? If so, you might want to reconsider those preconceived notions. Bats are very misunderstood mammals that don’t hurt humans or our pets. On the contrary, these creatures serve a vital role in our ecosystem.

The Benefits of Bats

Let’s learn more about Florida’s different types of bats and their vital function. Once you know how amazing bats are, you might encourage them to move into your backyard!

Facts About Bats

Bats are small, winged mammals of the order Chiroptera and can be found worldwide. Their forelimbs (arms) have webbed wings and are the only mammals to maintain accurate flight.

The vast majority are insectivores, meaning they eat flying insects. Some species eat fruit and nectar. Only a few rare species eat living creatures other than insects. Out of 1200 species, only three feasts on blood. These bats are only found in Central and South America. Rather than sucking blood, they only make small bites in livestock and lap at the blood, causing little harm to the animals.

Bats are essential to sustaining life, for many areas could not exist without bats to pollinate plants and disperse seeds.

Bats are not blind, and many have pretty good vision. However, they have adapted to flying at night through echolocation, using sound waves to detect objects. This allows them to see insects as tiny as mosquitoes in complete darkness.

Bat Species in Florida

Here in Florida, we have 13 bat species, two of which are endangered.

These include:

• Tricolored Bat
• Southeastern Myotis
• Gray Bat
• Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat
• Big Brown Bat
• Evening Bat
• Eastern Red Bat
• Seminole Bat
• Northern Yellow Bat
• Hoary Bat
• Brazilian (Mexican) Free-tailed Bat
• Velvety Free-tailed Bat
• Florida Bonneted Bat

Bats throughout our state in all habitats, including urban areas. They like to roost in caves, tree hollows, palm trees, and Spanish moss. They also sleep under roofs and bridges, and anywhere else they can find safe, quiet, excellent daytime residences.

Debunking Myths About Bats

Horror movies give bats a bad reputation. However, the real fear comes from people believing they will get rabies from bats. While it’s true that bats can become infected with rabies just like any mammal, less than 1% of all bats will come in contact with rabid animals and become ill.

You should only be concerned when you find a bat on the ground. Because there’s a better chance they could be infected, it’s best to leave them alone and teach your children to do the same.

Only Insects Should Fear Bats

Each bat can eat thousands of insects each night. It’s estimated that bats save over $3.7 billion a year by reducing crop damage and the need for pesticides. Bats enjoy the bugs that feast on crops like tomatoes, corn, sugarcane, cotton, beans, and more.

They also help keep mosquito populations down. A single colony of bats can easily munch on a million mosquitoes or more a night.

Bats help pollinate flowering plants and help scatter seeds, allowing plants to propagate. Bat Conservation International points out that many tropical plants require bats for pollination. A few plants that bats help to pollinate include bananas, peaches, avocados, dates, figs, mangoes, carob, and agave.

Saving the Bats

According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension service, bat populations are in decline across the country. They struggle against habitat destruction caused by urban development and increasing pesticide and herbicide use. If you want to learn more about why it’s essential to save bats, check out the National Wildlife Federation’s bat facts as well as the website of Bat Conservation International.

Attracting Bats to Your Property

Have we convinced you yet that bats are fantastic? If you agree, consider doing your part to encourage bats to roost on your property. In return, they’ll eat their weight often in mosquitoes and other flying pests.

Bats love unpruned cabbage palms and trees with cavities where they can sleep during the day. If those aren’t options, consider installing a bat house. You can buy them at many of the same places that sell birdhouses, including online, or you can even build your own. Learn more about bat housing from the University of Florida IFAS Extension.

Also, consider your landscape. Planting native wildflowers and shrubs will attract insects for the bats to eat, and protecting wetlands and providing additional water sources will make your property more bat-friendly.

Just having bats on your property won’t eliminate mosquitoes from your property, but it will help. A mosquito control plan at your home will help prevent mosquito harborage areas and protect you and your family from dangerous diseases, including the Zika virus.

As you create a welcoming environment for bats, you will want to ensure that bats aren’t roosting inside your home. Dozens of bats can live on a single roof tile, and their guano can cause lung disease and allergies. As beneficial as bats are, they can spread fatal diseases to humans, including rabies and histoplasmosis, through bites, saliva, or droppings. If you think bats have taken up residence, contact a pest control professional to remove the bats and seal your roof to prevent re-entry.

Need a Hand?

If you’d like to help control mosquitoes or other common pests on your property, ABC Home & Commercial Services can help. You can count on our experts with knowledge and experience about local pests and wildlife to recommend how to rid your property of aggravating insects and other pests. We work with homeowners to develop creative solutions for even the most perplexing pest problems.