There are unintended consequences to placing a bat house on your home or commercial building. It can lead to serious health risks and require professional bat control services.
“Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the BAT bugs bite.”
Bat bugs? What are bat bugs? I only know about bed bugs. Well, bat bugs are one of the lesser known reasons for bat control, but one that people need to know about.
Colorado State University has issued warnings to people in the Denver, Colorado against putting bat houses on their homes, as there are unintended consequences that can lead to serious health risks and require professional bat control services.
People have various reasons for wanting to attract these animals—insect control or as part of the stronger ecological conscience that is growing in the state. People want to provide shelter for this beneficial species.
There are problems with this good intention. While these little houses are advertised in a number of forums as good for bats, one must be very careful in their application. One of a few things tends to happen:
- The house goes unoccupied. This is discouraging and frustrating for people who have gone to expense with the hope of attracting bats.
- The bats move in—and so do the bugs. If you attach a bat house to your house, you are asking for bat bugs. These are small, parasitic animals similar to bed bugs. They are more common than bed bugs in Colorado and spread easily from roosting locations to people’s sleeping locations. The small insects can come in through open windows, small cracks, etc., and end up in your bedroom. For this reason, bat houses should not be mounted on people houses or businesses. If you start finding bites from an unknown insect, you might want to get checked and explore bat control options including complete fumigation and sanitation of your home.
- The bats move in—and end up in the house. If you attract bats to the small, cramped quarters you bought on-line, it is a small step to having them in your attic. Bat removal specialists are often called in for bat control when the animals make their way inside.
It is good to care about bats. You can help them by careful and minimal use of pesticides and insecticides, by spreading the good word about them and the great service they provide to the environment and by using good sense around bats and all wild animals. If you do end up with bats in your house and need bat control, contact a specialist who will exclude the bats without harming them.
Nationwide Bat Removal and Insect Control: 1-888-488-7720
