Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugus
Little Brown Bat Facts
Little brown bats are found all across North America. They are roughly 3 to 4 inches long with hairy, brown bodies and have about a 9 inch wingspan. Little brown bats mate in the fall and have pups between late May and early July. Their average lifespan is 6 to 7 years, but have been know to live for over 30 years in some cases. Little brown bats only eat insects, especially mosquitoes. They are nocturnal and hunt for food at night. Bats communicate using echolocation. They blast out a call and listen for an echo that bounces back to them off of their prey. This also helps them avoid other bats and objects while flying at night. Little brown bats can transmit diseases like rabies, as well as parasites like tapeworms, fleas and mites.
Little Brown Bat Bites
Although rare, little brown bats can carry and transmit rabies. This virus affects the central nervous system of mammals and is spread through saliva. A bat may have rabies if it is acting unnaturally, such as flying during the day or scrambling around on the ground. If you believe you have been bitten or scratched by a bat and are experiencing flu-like symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Protect your family and pets from exposure to rabies by contacting a pest management professional to remove any nuisance wildlife in your home or on your property.
Little Brown Bat Infestation
A bat infestation might lead to strange noises like scratching and squeaking. As bats enter and leave your house, they’ll leave stains on your siding from droppings and urine. Accumulating bat droppings, know as guano will give off a strong smell of ammonia. Bats will enter and leave buildings or homes around dawn and dusk.
Bat infestations can lead to structural damage, health risks and even the introduction of other pests. Piles of bat guano will eat away at the house, eventually ruining insulation and sheetrock. Bat droppings may also contain the spores of a fungus that can cause Histoplasmosis, an illness that affects the lungs. Although it is rare, bats can carry the rabies virus. Little brown bats can also bring bat bugs, a cousin of the bed bug, into your home. Even though these bloodthirsty insects prefer bats as their hosts, they will have no problem feeding off of you and your family too!
Types of Little Brown Bats
Little Brown Bat Identification
Their name fits them nicely. Little brown bats have glossy fur that can be dark-brown, reddish or golden-brown. Their wings and membranes are dark brown or black, and hairless. Their ears are small and they have large hind feet.
Little Brown Bats In The Home & The Attic
These critters prefer warm, dry places like your attic or crawlspace. They may also be found behind walls, in your garage and soffit, and under floorboards, shutters and roof shingles. A bat will find its way inside through cracks and other openings in your home.
We know you don’t want bats inside your home, but these mammals are important to our environment. A single little brown bat eats hundreds of insects every night including pesky bugs like mosquitoes. This is why Catseye Pest Control follows state regulations and best practices so that we can ensure bats are protected by using an exclusion process. From mid-April through the end of May, after bats are awake and feeding and before they start having young, Catseye will seal-up the area where the bats are living and install an excluder. This funnel-shaped “door” allows bats to exit the building, but prevents them from getting back in. It is a safe way of making the bats leave your home to find a new place to live. Once all the bats have left, we remove the excluder and seal the opening.
In June, bats begin having babies. The pups remain in the roost and are dependent on their mothers for food. Catseye does not do exclusion work in June and July, when the pups aren’t strong enough to leave the roost. Catseye is also able to exclude bats and bat-proof from August through October, once the pups are able to fly and leave the nest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do little brown bats bite?
Little brown bats rarely bite humans, but in some cases they can transmit disease, like rabies. They won’t usually come in contact with humans, but can end up making your attic, roofs, or trees their home, which will increase the chances of contact with you.
What do little brown bat bites look like?
Little brown bats have tiny, sharp teeth. Their bite marks are often mistaken for a scratch, as they are tiny. Rarely does a little brown bat bite even break skin.
Benefits of Professional Little Brown Bat Pest Control
A pest management professional has the education, equipment and skills necessary to effectively address a little brown bat problem. Finding and treating the little brown bats can be challenging, especially if they are spread throughout your yard. A pest management professional provides their expertise to identify the pest problem and determine the best possible solution to resolve the little brown bat infestation.
