Bats

Bats are common throughout Sugar Land. They are nocturnal and extremely beneficial to the environment. They help prevent damage to agricultural crops since they are insectivores and consume large amounts of moths. Since bats cannot fly from the ground, bats need to be placed in a tree or on a wall off of the ground so the bat can take flight.

Bats become an issue when they roost in attics or other structures used by people. They can enter through holes as small as a dime and pipes leading into the residence. Although the first thought would be to patch any holes, from May through August, you could actually trap juvenile bats inside which cannot fly yet.

The best way to evict bats from attics is by placing a one way door over the entry hole so they can exit but not reenter. Unlike popular belief, bats do not fly into human’s hair on purpose, they actually do swooping flight plans using sonar system trying to locate food which could mean a mosquito was close by. Although less than one percent of bats carry rabies, the State of Texas still has regulated laws for testing of the bats in cases where a human could have been exposed.

The best way to remove a bat that has ventured into your residence is to open all doors and windows to allow the bat access points to leave. Although bats may look harmless and small, they should not be handled. When a bat is on the ground or in an accessible location, citizens should call 311 to contact Sugar Land Animal Services for safe removal. It is common for bats to roost in branches on trees. Keep people away from the bat and it will leave the next night and roost in another location. The life expectancy of a bat can be over 20 years, but slow birth rates limit the population.

Free Tailed Bat 

The free-tailed bats are generally quite robust and are strong fliers with relatively long narrow wings. They are widespread, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The family name is derived from a length of “free” tail, projecting beyond the end of the uropatagium (the membrane that connects the base of the tail to the hind legs). The tail is usually best seen when resting and extends more than 1/3 beyond the tail membrane. They are usually gray, brown, or black in color, although there are some exceptions. They have broad black forward pointing ears. Free-tailed bats roost in caves, attics, under bridges or abandoned buildings, and generally choose a roost near water. The water attracts the insects they eat, like mosquitoes. This species is very important for the control of pest-insect populations. Unfortunately, its populations have fallen because of the use of pesticides and the destruction of their roosting caves.

Brown Bat

As suggested by the bat’s name, its fur is uniformly dark brown and glossy on the back and upper parts, with slightly paler, grayish fur underneath. Little brown bats are insectivores, eating moths, wasps, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes, midges, and mayflies. Since many of their preferred meals are insects with an aquatic life stage, such as mosquitoes, they prefer to roost near water. Often they will catch larger prey with a wingtip, transfer it to a cup formed by their tail, then eat it. Smaller prey are usually just caught in the mouth. They often use the same routes over and over again every night, flying three to six meters high above water or among trees. An adult can sometimes fill its stomach in 15 minutes while the young bats have more difficulty. If they do not catch any food, they will enter a torpor similar to hibernation that day, awakening at night to hunt again.

Hoary Bat

The hoary bat is the most widely distributed bat in the United States. Hoary means "frosted", and refers to the white tips of the body hairs. This bat has a distinctive yellowish-brown collar under its chin. The hoary bat is migratory and may travel from Canada to the southern United States. Most like to overwinter in coastal areas. They are a solitary bat and roost among dense foliage in evergreen forests and wooded areas. The hoary bat hunts over open areas or lakes, and its main source of food is moths.

Resources for Bats