County Complex battling bat infestation
The appearance of several winged creatures at the Aiken County Complex has been driving the county, well, batty.
A few small bats have been found in offices at the complex on Richland Avenue with the most recent one hanging from the ceiling in a hallway, and it is a cause for concern. It is suspected the nocturnal creatures have been making their home in the building’s attic.
“They’re here and there, but it’s still too many,” said County Administrator Clay Killian. “We’re going to bring in the exterminator.”
This is not the first time the county has had to do this.
About seven months ago, a service was called to investigate the problem.
Killian said they staked out the complex at night and spotted where the bats were entering and exiting the attic. Those holes were plugged.
“We thought we had flushed them out,” Killian said. “Apparently, they found another breach.”
Jim Soper, owner of Pest Specialists in North Augusta, said an opening does not have to be very big for a bat to get through. “If you put your finger through it, they can get in,” he said. “Normally where they start is the gable vents.”
He said the most common way to deal with bats is exclusion (plugging the holes) but bat removal or exclusion is strongly discouraged from May 1 until Aug. 15 because it is mating season.
According to Soper, the three types of bats most common in this region are the evening bat, the brown bat and the free-tailed bat, and they feed entirely on insects. Their size varies from less than half an ounce up to seven ounces, depending on the type of bat.
No one has been injured by a bat at the complex, and the ones found have been either dead or dying, but they are still a nuisance.
Soper said, as a general rule, bats will not attack people, but their urine and feces can become toxic when it piles up if an infestation goes undetected for a period of time.
“We are certainly very concerned,” Killian said.
By HALEY HUGHES
Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
Leave a Reply