Bats might be creatures for horror movies, but these winged mammals serve an important purpose. However beneficial they are, an infestation can be dangerous. Advanced IPM, providing bat control to Sacramento, CA and other communities in the state, explains why a positive yet cautious approach to these creatures is ideal.
Understanding Bats
What Do Bats Eat?
These nocturnal flyers have a bad rap as bloodsuckers. Contrary to lore, their diet is actually helpful to humans and other animals. The hungry little mammals devour up to 1,200 insects an hour. They eat the bugs that annoy employees and customers at our businesses, including disease-spreading, bloodsucking mosquitoes. While there are some bat species that do consume the blood of other mammals, they’re not a threat in Sacramento, CA – or anywhere else in the United States, for that matter. Those three species dwell in Central or South America.
Other Bat Benefits
You’ve probably heard about the threat posed by disappearing bees. We need these pollinators to keep plant reproduction going. But bat populations also pollinate plants and flowers, making them a boon to our ecosystem. When handled properly, their droppings, or guano, make an excellent fertilizer for gardens. To help protect the shrinking bat population, some people even place bat houses, similar to bird houses, on their property.
When Is Bat Control Necessary?
Although the species can be highly beneficial outdoors, it has no place inside our homes or businesses. The sight of a bat isn’t just likely to scare off customers or clients. Besides being a major distraction for employees, their existence indoors also poses a health threat. A fungus found in guano puts us at risk for histoplasmosis, a lung infection that can cause serious consequences for those with compromised immune systems.
Like many forms of wildlife, spiders, and insects, bats affect their environments in both positive and negative ways. While you may enjoy a variety of benefits when they spend time near your garden, hosting them indoors is an entirely different story. Advanced IPM offers effective, safe bat control in Sacramento, CA and other cities, so contact us with concerns about an infestation at your business or residence.
