Wildlife Removal Services Inc.

Bats

Bats should be appreciated from a distance and not disturbed as they are known carriers of rabies.

Biology:  Bats are the only mammals that truly fly.  Bats that congregate in groups are called colonial bats.  Those that live a lone existence are known as solitary bats.  Summer colonies are very gregarious and commonly roost in dark, hot attics & roof spaces where maternity colonies (containing pregnant females) may include hundreds to thousands of individuals.  No nests are built.  Some bats are known to migrate relatively short distances.

Mating Habits:  Bats generally mate in the fall and winter, but the female retains the sperm until spring, when ovulation and fertilization takes place.          

Gestation Period:   

Birthing Times:   May through July.  Young grow rapidly and can fly within 3 weeks.  Weaning occurs in July and August.

Litter Size:   Litter size is 1 in the Northeast; twins occasionally occur in some other areas.

Life Span:  Bats often live more than 10 years and can live as long as 31 years.

Foods:  Their diet consists of mosquitoes, caddis flies, moths, and beetles.  Bats can consume insects equal to one-third of its body weight in ½ hour of foraging.

Hibernation:   In winter, little brown bats in the eastern part of their range abandon buildings to hibernate in caves and mines.

Legal Status:  Not protected by federal law, but state & local regulations may apply.

Catch & Release Status:  It is ILLEGAL to release this or any animal on the land(s) of another without written permission from the landowner.  This is the LAW in the state of Ohio.