With the onset of dusk, small winged animals appear in the sky. Each of you has seen them - they are bats. They belong to the order of bats and make up most of it, which is about 700 species. By the way, these are the only mammals in the world adapted for active flight.
The bat is the world's only winged mammal
A bat is a carrier of what diseases?
Bats are unique animals that carry many diseases dangerous to humans, while they themselves suffer from them.
This may be due to some biological characteristics or to the fact that mammals fly, while spending a lot of energy, which is why their body temperature is constantly elevated, from which the immune system is activated.
Either way, bats are vectors many diseases that are fatal to humans.
ATTENTION! Bats carry viruses such as the sensational Ebola fever, Marburg virus, SARS (atypical pneumonia) coronavirus, the relatively new Hendroy fever, hemorrhagic and other types of fevers, and many other diseases.
Some scientists believe that the fame of bats as unsurpassed carriers of infection is greatly exaggerated, but many scientists agree that the risk of contracting something dangerous from through bat bite big enough.
Be that as it may, it is better not to take unnecessary risks and not go into contact with bats unnecessarily.
Dangerous features of the body
The body of a mouse is usually covered with thick and hard hair, on the muzzle there are growths specially designed to improve echolocation. In some species, the size of the auricles is equal to half the total length of the body together with the tail. These ears are considered to be the largest among all milky-feeding, if you compare them with the size of the body. The animals are allowed to fly by the first modified limbs. Between the second and fifth toes, they have a characteristic leather sheath.
Some species received from nature a webbing located at the back and connecting the hind limbs and tail between them. The tenacious and strong claws allow the flying animal to hold even on the smallest bulges of any surface. The animal has small, but very sharp teeth. If a bat bites a person, he may not even feel it. Blood-sucking species are able to bite their prey even in a dream.
Photo
Get to know the bats in our photo gallery:
Rabies virus
Most often in connection with bats, they recall rabies virus... Usually, the infection will occur if a bat bites (it is believed that this disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets, but you can get infected through the contact route by touching the mouse and having wounds on your hands).
Moreover, bats are carriers of a special type of rabies, which is especially infectious and has a shorter incubation period.
And while some argue that encounter with a rabid bat is unlikelysince it is not capable of flying to human habitation, this information is controversial.
Because some mice, as mentioned above, carry rabies, but they themselves do not get sick.
What to do with a bite?
IMPORTANT! In no case should you ignore the bite received by simply treating it with alcohol, bandaging it and forgetting about it.
First of all wash the wound with clean water and soap (best of all - household). This must be done carefully and for a long time - at least 10 minutes.
Then treat the edges of the wound disinfectant alcohol or a product based on it: it can be vodka, cologne, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, brilliant green.
After processing, you need bandage the wound with a sterile dressing and go to the local emergency room.
In any case, the applied patient give 6 injections according to a certain scheme.
Also, the treatment process may include taking antirabies immunoglobulin drugs.
Observing a bitten animal greatly facilitates the diagnosis, but not everyone will be able to catch a bitten bat.
Harm or benefit to the garden
Often, bats settle under the roofs of country houses. You can determine their presence by characteristic rustle and squeakas well as droppings that resemble dark powder mixed with shiny remnants of insect shells.
This is, of course, annoying for people, here what harm do bats do: noise that interferes with sleep at night, garbage, even visits directly to a person's house are possible ... And feces are also poisonous if they smell.
In fairness, it should be noted that eat bats and benefit: they eat a large number of insects that can harm cultivated plants and trees in the garden and vegetable garden (what do bats eat?).
In addition, they hunt for nocturnal pests that birds do not catch - after all, many birds sleep at this time of day.
Reference: the diet of bats includes harmful moths, moths, ringed silkworms, moths, etc.
That is why many gardeners even welcome bats, build houses for them on the site and in every possible way protect their peace.
However, this unjustifiably risky venture, because, as mentioned above, bats can bite a person and infect him with dangerous diseases.
Just the bat does not attack humans, she bites only in self-defense. But it is difficult to predict when the winged animal will decide that it is in danger.
Dangerous features of the body
The growths on the face help to improve echolocation. There are also species of flying animals that have a small horn. Some mammals have irregular limbs and large ears. In some individuals, the hind limbs are connected by membranes.
However, strong and tenacious claws are the most dangerous. As a rule, they are used in order to securely adhere to almost any surface. Claws are necessarily used when the mouse defends itself from enemies, including humans. This weapon leaves deep bleeding wounds on the body of the offender. An infection can be brought here, which can lead to disastrous consequences.
Control methods
The conclusion is obvious: from night guests on their site or on the balcony of a city apartment better get rid of... At the same time, radical methods are not at all necessary; you can expose bats without causing them much harm.
Easier and smartest of all contact the relevant organizations for this purpose - they will do everything competently, quickly and without unnecessary sacrifices. But you can cope on your own.
IMPORTANT! Fighting bats should not be carried out in winter: at this time, the animals hibernate, and instead of flying away, they may die (how and where do bats hibernate?). Also, it is not necessary to carry out work in the spring, during the period of motherhood of females. The mice cannot leave the shelter on their own and are also doomed to death.
So how do you get rid of bats on your balcony? First of all, find the place where the bats have settled (where do bats live?). Start watching at dusk: It is at this time that bats fly out to hunt.
Pay attention to where the animals are flying from, wait until everyone leaves their home.
Then brick up the entrance to their "mink": Seal well or seal all holes, cracks, any nearest holes with the help of polyurethane foam, so that the mice could not get inside "from another entrance".
Then the winged creatures will be forced to look for another place of residence.
IMPORTANT! Make sure that absolutely all animals leave their den, otherwise the remaining walled up mice will cause you a lot of trouble! Individuals that die inside will begin to rot, and it will be very difficult to find small carcasses.
Also bats do not tolerate the smell of naphthalene... Its balls can be hung around the balcony or attic in gauze bags, and this scent will discourage mice from returning.
Another option: water the mice with a hose... It will take several such procedures before the animals attached to the chosen place decide on relocation.
Actual application ultrasonic repeller: these devices are quite economical, safe for people, easy to use.
All these methods are relevant for open places where there is no way to brick up mouse moves. In order to prevent the animals from returning for sure, leave them in their recent habitat. high power lamps on all night.
This will have to be done for several nights, since bats become very quickly and strongly attached to their chosen places, and will not quickly give up their positions.
Dangerous species
Due to their physiological characteristics, flying mice are attributed by specialists to the order of bats.
Their family in general numbers about 700 different species. They are the only milk-feeding, capable of flying. Most animals eat insects, some of which are more to their liking other delicacies, for example, nectar, orehi, fruits. There are few species for which fish becomes food. On the territory of South America there are 3 species that feed on the blood of vertebrates.
Do not panic, these species do not inhabit the territory of our country.
During the day, all types of bats prefer to be in their homes, showing activity at dusk and at night. These creatures use echolocation in order to freely orient themselves in space. Its principle is simple, the animal emits sounds that the human ear cannot hear. Then the organs of his senses catch an echo, which is characteristic to reflect from the things and objects encountered on the way.
What does a bat look like, regardless of species? Wings occupy most of the body of this animal. He also has a small body with an extended head and a short neck. Some species have a cute face, others are able to scare a person with an unusual nose shape, huge ears and growths located on the head. The most attractive representative of the family is considered to be a fruit dog. She has large and wide-open eyes, an elongated nose. Some species of mice got their names by the shape of the nose - smooth-nosed, pig-nosed, horseshoe-nosed. The white bat has a "horn" on its muzzle, which gives the nose the shape of a petal. In a bulldog mouse, a cartilaginous fold is located in the transverse direction on the muzzle. Excellent echolocation in a bat with a long-eared bat, thanks to the presence of huge auricles.
