Tacoma Bat Removal Tip:

Controlling the Mosquitoes with Bats

With the increasing concern towards the transmission of the Japanese encephalitis, Malaria, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, and Zika virus, more homeowners are looking for a convenient way to get rid of the mosquitoes. Some people considered attracting the attention of the bats. These creatures are known for eating harmful insects which includes the mosquitoes. However, bats will not only eat mosquitoes. They will also hunt beetles, wasps, locusts, and other pests that destroy crops.

Bats are Poor Predator of Mosquitoes

According to the medical entomologist, while the mosquitoes are insectivores, beetles and moths comprised the largest part of their diet. Mosquitoes make up less than 1 percent of their daily eating habit. For those bats that heavily rely on mosquitoes, they will eventually starve. Florida has attempted using bats to control mosquitoes, but the result is disappointing. The local species of bats were not establishing their roosting site on the bat house. Instead, they prefer to roost on a more natural setting such as on palm trees.

Other Issues on Using Bats to Control Mosquitoes

Since it is highly unlikely that they will chase all the mosquitoes in your yard, it is also less possible that they will come across a mosquito that is carrier of the disease. Furthermore, the carrier of dengue virus, Aedes Aegypti will remain active during daytime while the bats are nocturnal creatures. Mosquitoes also tend to stick close to our home hoping to have a taste of our blood.

The Concept of Using Bats against Mosquitoes

The idea that bats can be used to eliminate mosquito infestation started on a study performed last 1950. The researchers decided to release the bats in a room that is filled with mosquitoes. According to the study, the mosquitoes were able to capture at least 10 mosquitoes each minute. The result has then been deducted in multiple manners. Several social media posts claimed that bats can eat around 10,000 mosquitoes per night.

Bat's Diet Will not be Limited to Mosquitoes

While they will be restricted on mosquitoes on the lab, they can forage a variety of insects when they are in the wild. They can hunt spiders and mayflies. Currently, there is still no concrete evidence that the increase of the bats in your community can significantly reduce the population of the mosquitoes. Even if there is a decline on the population of mosquitoes, there is no evidence that it can reduce the human-bite rate.

Nonetheless, there are still benefit in attracting the bats in your community. You can help in conserving the population of the bats that was massively affected by the bat diseases such as the White-Nose Syndrome. They can also reduce the population of insects that destroy crops, helping the farmer to save billions of cash on pest control. Their guanos are also rich in nutrient that makes it an excellent fertilizer. People are becoming more aware on the benefits of bats towards our ecosystem. There has been a noticeable spike in the sales of bat house in the market lately.