Bats are probably the most hated wildlife today, being carriers of the coronavirus strain from which the deadly COVID-19 disease sprung to become a contagion. People tend to forget that bats are not the main culprits but the people who have taken away their natural habitats, forcing them to look for food and later roost in other places just to survive. These specie of flying mammals can even sing when wooing a mate, and not at all evil as they’ve been depicted in many literary works.
Why Do Bat Sing and Why Not Everyone Can Hear Their singing
Bat experts who are also bat conservationists have observed bat behaviors that completely debunk the bad raps being heaped on this wildlife specie. The studies about bats are not as wide ranging as there are about 1,200 species of bat found to be in existence. In those few studies, bat experts have observed one common behavior: male bats sing during mating season and to express territorial rights over a specific roosting location in which their respective mates will give birth offsprings.
Bat songs though are not easily discernible to human ears because they come in high-pitched sounds in levels that are too high for people to hear. Bat conservationists describe their pitch as about two to four times higher than what humans are able to hear. A recording of such sounds revealed that the singing sounds produced by bats are played really slow, the sounds that bats produce are similar to the chirpings of songbirds.
Still, while some bat species migrate during the summer to escape harsh winter climates in their original habitats, colonies who fail to find a new natural dwelling in which to relocate will use house attics as their new roosting place. If the new habitat is ideal where they can remain undisturbed like in the attic of an old abandoned house, other members of a bat colony will be able to locate the new habitats via the singing exercise, as the sounds are also useful as medium for echolocation.
While migrating bats are not aware that their newfound spaces are occupied by humans, massive bat migration occurrences can be regarded as infestations.
The Harmful Consequences of Bat Infestations
It is now quite apparent that bat colonies can pose as threats to communities because they are capable of developing strains of viruses that can affect the human respiratory system. Bat colonies often migrate to places where there’s a great deal of standing water as these are the places where mosquitoes and other insects breed and therefore a good source of food.
Moreover, homeowners who are confronted by bat infestation problems should let professional wildlife removalists take care of the problem. Take note that these professionals are not pest exterminators but are removalists who will apply their knowledge of a specific wildlife in removing or preventing unwelcome critters from invading or infesting human homes.
In San Antonio Texas, the go-to removalists that most Texans call on is the AAAC Wildlife Removal of San Antonio. The company not only removes bats but also other types of wildlife like raccoons, birds, squirrels, opposums, snakes or other similar wildlife causing damages to a home.