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You might notice some unwanted roommates this spring. In fact, they might be driving you a little bit batty.
Bats are waking up from hibernation, and Saskatchewan’s environment ministry said May is a good time to work on evicting bats from buildings or take steps to keep them from finding their way inside in the first place.
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“Bats can be very difficult to find inside buildings and removal is not always feasible or cost-effective,” the ministry explained in a statement.
“Installing one-way exits (also called exclusion devices or bat cones) at the appropriate time of year works with the biology of the bats – it lets them leave and does not allow re-entry.”
May is a good time to install the one-way exits, the ministry said, as it is the time between hibernation and the birth of bat pups, meaning adult bats can find a new home. September is also a good time to work on controlling bats.
“But remember, bats aren’t pests – they are pest control!” the ministry noted.
“Bats are important to Saskatchewan’s ecosystem as they eat insects, including crop and forest insect pests. The benefit of their pest consumption is valued at over $3 billion per year in North America.”
It is possible for bats and humans to coexist in the same building, the ministry explained, but taking steps to keep bats out may be the best option if bat issues cannot be rectified, living areas can’t be effectively sealed to keep the bats out, or if major repair work or a demolition is planned.
Many bat species are in danger due to a loss of habitats and other threats like white-nose syndrome, a disease which has killed more than 12 million bats across North America, and affects the little brown bat, one of the species that can be found in Saskatchewan.
“Bats are protected wildlife under The Wildlife Act in Saskatchewan, meaning you need a licence to kill bats or disturb their place of habitation and two of the eight bat species in Saskatchewan are listed as Endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act,” the environment ministry added.
More information on bats in Saskatchewan – and how to keep them from causing an issue in buildings – can be found on the ministry’s website.
