What Does a Bat Look Like?

Worried you have a bat infestation?

How To Identify Different Types of Bats

Bats are the only flying mammal. They have fur on their torso and sometimes fur-covered heads. Bat wings do not have fur. Their pronounced wings are scalloped at the bottom and mimic the appearance of an old-fashioned umbrella’s lower edge. These wings are hairless and protected by rubbery, leathery skin. Bats come in several colors, including black, brown, red, tan, and gray. In general, they have short snouts, large ears like a rodent, and fur-covered torsos. The smallest bats are roughly three inches long with an eight-inch wing span, while the largest may reach seven inches long with a wingspan two feet across.

Bats Live in More than Caves

Bats are frequently seen swooping through the air at dusk in search of insects to eat. One bat can eat as many as 500 in a single hour, and almost 3,000 every night. These sojourns frequently lead them to residential areas, where bats disturb people with their presence. As nocturnal creatures in need of a place to rest during the day, they sometimes end up living in attics. Because small gaps less than a half-inch wide will suffice, eaves and rooflines are popular targets.

More Bats, More Problems

The trouble with bats is that a group of them can quickly fill an attic with droppings, called guano. Not only can this can begin to stain the outside walls of homes, but it carries several health risks. When inhaled, bat guano dust can infect the lungs of victims or cause respiratory problems in people with asthma. Bats also carry rabies, which is fatal in humans if treatment doesn’t begin before symptoms present. To keep houses bat-free, homeowners are encouraged to call the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control.