Yes, I admit it. I love bats, and not just on Halloween. There is just something about those furry winged creatures I cannot resist. They are the only mammals that can fly on their own power and can change flight direction by turning 180 degrees within three wing beats. What amazing creatures!
My first encounter with bats happened in a house I bought in Howell, Michigan, as a young adult. While sitting on the couch in the living room, I could hear something scratching up and down the inside of the walls. My cat heard them, too. She followed the sounds throughout the house, staring at the walls and meowing. I thought we had mice, so I set out some humane traps.
Then one day, I had decided to paint the dining room. Well, I quickly found out bats dislike the smell of paint, at least not the ones living in the walls of my house. While painting, two bats flew from the upstairs bedroom into the dining room. My heart raced, trying to comprehend what was going on. They swooped and dived, almost crashing into one another. After flying over the dining room table in a frenzy, they shot off into the living room.
Well, that freaked me out. After grabbing my daughter, I ran outside and over to the house next door. The neighbor told me he had frequently seen the previous owner’s kids chasing bats out of the upstairs window. Nice.
He told me bats were a common problem in the area. But if left unchecked, they could overpopulate a house, causing a distinctive and horrible odor. So I asked him, in my best damsel in distress voice, if he would take care of the bats flying around in my living room. With a smile on his face, he said absolutely not. He had dealt with bats in his house and was not interested in another encounter. So much for prince charming. But he suggested using a wet towel to stun them. Then, after wrapping the towel around them, I could release the bats outside.
I thanked my neighbor for the information. Then, after taking a deep breath, headed back into the house. I don’t hold it against him for not wanting to help. He seemed traumatized when he told me his bat story.
After locking my daughter in the bathroom, I set out to find the bats. One had roosted on a curtain rod while the other clung onto the living room wall. While holding a dripping wet towel in my hand, I debated which bat to hit first. I choose the one on the wall. With a wind up and pitch, I sent the towel sailing at the intruder. It missed by at least a foot. Pitching was not a skill set in my toolbox. Thankfully, neither bat had moved.
With a sigh, I crept closer. In retrospect, I might have been able to use the paint can and chase them out with the fumes. But hindsight is 20/20. When I stood close enough to reach out and touch the bat, I chucked the towel at it. Thankfully, it made contact. Both the bat and the towel fell to the floor. I snatched up the towel with the bat wrapped inside. Then I ran out the door, releasing it into the wild. My heart pounded as I leaned on the porch railing to gather myself together. I watched as the bat circled overhead, smiling that there would be one less bat in my house. Then it disappeared into a hole in the siding. Really?
I got the other bat outside using my amazing towel technique. Then I called a pest control company. A week and an insane amount of money later, my bat residents had moved out. Because the pest control company had not used chemicals to treat the house, we didn’t have to leave during the process.
After identifying the entry points, they used exclusionary devices that allow the bats out but not in. Since the bats couldn’t figure out how to get back in, they moved on to another home. Probably my neighbor’s house, insert evil grin. Two weeks later, the pest control technicians caulked or covered the entry points with metal mesh to prevent the bats’ return.
Regardless of this close encounter with bats, I still have an appreciation for the animals. Bats serve as major pollinators of many types of cacti that open their flowers only at night. Contrary to popular belief, bats do not attack people, nor do they get tangled in people’s hair. If only I had remembered this while painting my dining room! Bats also serve as pollinators for various commercially valuable crops, including bananas, mangos, and guavas. In addition, they consume many crop-eating insects, reducing the need for pesticides.
Many people have fundamental misconceptions about bats. In some cultures, they are associated with death, illness, or plain bad luck. Folklore from various areas in the United States range from a belief if a pregnant woman sees a bat, the child will die to if a bat flies into your home, a death will occur in within six months. Then, of course, we have the folklore of bats believed to be shape shifting evil spirits waiting to attack innocent victims. Since bats are nocturnal, we typically associate them with fictional characters of the night like Dracula or other villainous vampires.
Here in Florida, Busch Gardens has a fruit bat exhibit that is a must see for me with every visit. Disney’s Animal Kingdom worked with Bat Conservation International to create a barrier free exhibit in the Maharaja Jungle Trek. Yes, you read correctly, no glass barrier between you and the bats.
This exhibit features the Malayan flying fox, or large fruit bad, which is one of the largest bats in the world. Its wingspan can exceed six feet. Unfortunately, this species is also endangered. Conservation groups in conjunction with Walt Disney World are working to educate the public on the value of these gentle animals.
In China, they look upon bats more favorably. Chinese artists use five bats to represent the five blessings: health, long life, prosperity, love of virtue, and a tranquil, natural death. I have a back tattoo depicting five bats on a cherry blossom tree.
Over the years, I’ve collected several ‘safe’ bats. For instance, I have a plush Flutter Bat, when Flutter Shy from My Little Ponies was turned into a vampire. As well as a key chain that hugs my keys into order with leather bat wings.
Let me know if you have any bat stories to tell. I’ll talk to you soon.
Some bat facts in this blog came from the National Science Foundation and Bat Conservation International.
