Bat Inspection : Baby Bats Present
In May, we posted about Ohio Bat Laws and why a lot of our bat exclusion was being put on pause until later in the summer.
You can find that post, Bat Exclusions on Pause, here.
But, if you just want the Cliff Notes, the points we made were:
- Bats are important pieces of our ecosystems
- The State of Ohio protects all bats
- Kicking them out of homes when flightless bat pups are present is illegal unless a waiver is obtained from the State. (May 16-July 31)
- Bat exclusions where 15 or more bats are present (a.k.a. a “maternal colony” ) can resume in August
- We can still inspect, get ready to exclude bats, and put you on the list of bat jobs to be done
For example, here is a bat inspection Ryan performed to see if there were just a few bats or if it was a maternal colony. As you’ll see in the video, he quickly found evidence that this was a maternal colony.
Bat Maternal Colony Evidence
Baby Bat on Ground
Finding evidence of baby bats is the surest way to determine if there is a maternal colony. The other way is to count the bats as they exit the structure over the course of a few nights. When more than 15 are present, the State of Ohio assumes it is a maternal colony.
Bat pups start to fly after a few weeks but they are not good fliers immediately. It takes them a while before they are no longer nursing, able to leave the roosting spot, and strong enough to disperse.
The best rule of thumb is to err on the side of caution and let them be until later in the summer when any potential babies can fly. It gives the bats the best chance. They need all the help they can get.
Bat numbers are already way down because of disease (a fungal infection called white nose syndrome) and habitat loss.
On top of that, bats have a low birth rate (usually just one pup) and infant mortality is naturally high because roosting and learning how to fly are precarious. Sadly, finding dead baby bats below roosting sites is very common as you saw in the video above.
Ryan has bat houses that are maternity colonies at his home and he see evidence of baby bats falling out and getting stranded often.
He has found some still alive and tried to put them back in the bat house.
The baby bats fall out so regularly he evenfashioned and installed a “baby bat catcher” below his bat houses. Take a look.
Bat Proofing | Akron, Canton, Kent
No matter what time of year it is Frontline Animal Removal can help you with your bat issues.
We appreciate bats and bat-free human spaces. Navigating the bat/human conflict in an ethical manner make us a better nuisance animal removal business. Call us today to see how we can help.
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