All year long, bat colonies seem to move from house to house in my neighborhood.
As soon as someone gets the ‘bat guy’ to come and install bat exclusion material and clean out the guano where they were roosting, the family of bats sets up shop in the next house that hasn’t sealed eave gaps. During this time, there can be a lot of misinformation about bats posted on social media which instills unease.
But it turns out that even though having bats roost in your house is an expensive problem — and certainly unwelcome — they are an integral part of our ecosystem and we need to do what we can to protect them.
South Carolina is home to 15 of the 47 species of bats identified nationwide. These unique nocturnal mammals use echolocation to find their prey (except for fruit bats). None of the species that live here suck on the blood of mammals. They all are insectivores and prey upon our most unwelcome of residents—mosquitos, gnats and other agricultural pests. The only reason to clutch your kitty if you see bats flying around your house is to protect the bats from your cat as they are a major contributor to bat mortality. Also fatal is white-nose syndrome, which has killed almost 7 million bats since it was discovered in 2006. Additionally, development pressures and land-use changes have significantly impacted bat habitat.
Because South Carolina seems to only assign value to things that provide some sort of economic benefit, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources states that as of 2020, bats provide “pest suppression services” valued at $115 million dollars annually by cutting the need for pesticides and preventing the spread of pests that do agricultural harm. Maybe we should pay back the bats a little with respect and habitat so they can co-exist with us.
If you have bats in your eaves or attic, call a reputable wildlife removal professional. Be sure to ask how they go about removal and what measures they take to not harm bats. Almost all of our bats in South Carolina are on protection lists, but none are on the federal endangered list so the rules might be a little unclear on how removal professionals must care for them.
Between May and June, most bat species in our state reproduce with one to two pups per year. During this time if you have bats in your eaves, please wait until after birthing season because once the exclusion material goes up (this allows bats to fly out but not in) the flightless babies are trapped inside and will die. Even if you don’t care about bat populations, you likely don’t want baby bat carcasses stuck in your eaves. Most wildlife removal companies won’t service at this time because of this part of the life cycle of the bats.
To support your local bat population, start by keeping your outdoor cats indoors one hour before and after sunset so the bats are not in danger. Garden for bats by planting native species that attract moths and other insects that bats feed on. Avoid using pesticides. Turn off outdoor lights because even though they attract insects, they can alter feeding patterns that put them in more danger.
Installing bat boxes is an excellent way to help the bats but it is absolutely crucial that you do your research and source a light -colored bat box. Painting it black or a dark color will only make it hotter and can actually overheat the bats. Additionally, placement is key so that it is not in direct sun and high enough so other predators can’t get them when they come out to feed.
If you find an injured bat, you can call SCDNR at (803) 734-3886 or go to
keeperofthewild.org to find a rehabilitator near you.
Toni Reale is the owner of Roadside Blooms, a unique flower, plant, crystal, rock and fossil shop in Park Circle in North Charleston. roadsidebloomsshop.com
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