Bat Information
ALBERTA INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Conservation and Public Education: BATS ARE AWESOME!
Despite their ecological value, bats are relentlessly and unjustifiably persecuted. Bats are often killed because they live near people who needlessly fear them. That's why it is so important to use safe, non-destructive methods to alleviate conflicts between people and bats. General sources of information on bats include universities, government environmental conservation and health departments, and Bat Conservation International (Austin, Texas). Except where control is necessary, bats should be appreciated from a distance and not disturbed.
Identification:
Bats are the only mammals that truly fly. Unfortunately, they are victims of Hollywood movies, superstition, and fear. The fact is, there is no reason to be afraid of an Alberta bat; they are incredibly beneficial, especially for the numbers of flying insects they eat every single night.
Bats congregating in groups are called colonial bats; those that live alone are called solitary. The species most often encountered in and around the Calgary area are the little brown bat, the big brown bat, and the silver haired bat.
Above: A big brown bat and silver haired bat snuggle together.Right: A big brown bat eats a mealworm.
General Information:
Bats in Alberta use a form of 'hearing radar' to locate prey. They emit high frequency squeaks that bounce of objects, coming back to their large ears, where the bat's brain analyzes the sound to determine what the object was. If the signal says something like "mosquito", "moth", or "beetle", they fly after it with tremendous agility. If the signal indicates a barrier such as a wall or a predator, they veer away.
Bats generally mate in the fall and winter, but the female retains the sperm in the uterus until spring, when ovulation and fertilization take place. Pregnant females may congregate in maternity colonies in buildings, behind chimneys, beneath bridges, in tree hollows, caves, mines, or other dark retreats. No nests are built. Births typically occur from May through July. Young bats grow rapidly and are able to fly within 3 weeks. Weaning occurs in July and August, after which the nursery colonies disperse.
Some Alberta bats hibernate while others migrate. Buildings may make excellent roosting colonies for bats which can create a problem if there is a build up of fecal pellets. Bat droppings look similar to mouse droppings.
In response to a variety of human activities several bat species have declined in the past few decades. Pesticides have decreased the insect supply, and contaminated insects ingested by bats have caused massive mortalities. Many bats die when people disturb summer maternity roosts and winter hibernacula. Vandals and other irresponsible individuals may deliberately kill bats in caves and other roosts. Even the activities of speleologists or biologists can unintentionally disturb hibernating bats, which depletes fat reserves needed for hibernation.
Modification and destruction of roost sites has also decreased bat numbers. Sealing and flooding of mineshafts and caves and general quarrying operations may inadvertently ruin bat homes. Forestry practices have reduced the number of hollow trees available. Some of the elimination of natural bat habitat may contribute to the tendency to roost in buildings.
Controlling bats in buildings:
AIWC will not kill bats. You may find a pest control company willing to do so, but not us! If you have bats living in your house and want them gone, our wildlife technician can remove them safely and these amazing animals can continue doing what comes naturally, ridding our environment of lots of bugs!
Our methods are guaranteed. If bats return to your house, we will come back and fix the problem, at no additional charge.
