Take heed of bats roosting at Warren Published Aug. 9, 2010 By Staff Reports 90th Civil Engineer Squadron F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. -- There are over 1,000 bat species in the world; 70 percent of them are insectivores, able to consume one-third of their body weight in insects each night, some are frugivorous and a few are carnivorous. Contrary to myths, there are only three species of bats that consume blood exclusively; the Common Vampire Bat, the White-winged Vampire Bat and the Hairy-legged Vampire Bat. Warren is home to the Brown Bat, which is an insectivore most common in North America. The Brown Bats here have a wingspan of 10 inches and weigh about 14 grams. There is a bat house here which was constructed last fall that bats live in, and sometimes in they get into military family housing units and live there. Bats perform a vital ecological role in the world and are now listed on the threatened-species list due to an illness called the white nosed syndrome. Like birds and bees, bats pollinate flowers. A single healthy bat can live for more than 20 years. Like most creatures living in this area, they breed in the spring time. Depending on the species and environment, bat mothers may have one to three litters per season, but only one to two pups at a time. These mothers are able to control the timing of their pregnancy and births to correspond with environmental conditions. The adaptations result in the pup being born during a time of high availability of food and roost sites. When bats fly, they produce a constant stream of high-pitched sounds only bats are able to hear called echolocation. They use that to locate and catch their prey. When the sound waves produced by them hit an insect or other animal, the echoes bounce back to the bat and guide them to the source. Most bats are nocturnal creatures. So if a bat is seen moving around or flying during the day time, be especially careful around them; do not touch them and call 90th Civil Engineer Squadron's customer service for removal. There is lower activity of bats in the winter time as they tend to retreat to caves for the winter and hibernate for six months, but going into an attic or crawl space, one or more bats may be roosting there. Very few cases of rabies in animals are reported in this area. Bats that appear to be clumsy, disoriented and unable to fly should be avoided. If coming across a bat in or around one's home, especially during the day, do not handle them. Close off the room the bat is in until an analysis of the bat by animal control and public health officials can be made. As a rule, public health should be contacted if a vulnerable family member sleeps in a room where a bat is found. The bat found roosting in the housing area here usually comes through the fireplace, chimney or trap doors in the basement. The 90th CES pest management section receives bat calls on the average of two to three times a month from the middle of June through September. When pest management receives bat related calls, they respond and ensure the bats are removed and stored in a special refrigerator at the pest management shop. The following business day, the bat is delivered to the base veterinarian for routine rabies testing. Test results are sent to Public Health. "Anyone receiving scratches or wounds should wash all areas with warm, soapy water and receive medical treatment immediately," said Phil Lozeau, 90th CES pest management section. Common places for bats to roost are attics, between roofs and ceilings, in walls, chimneys, fascias around drain pipes and crawl spaces. They enter the homes through common access points to include the fireplaces, window screens, vents, weather stripping on trap doors in the basement, as well as all doors and pipes leading to the outside. The pest management section inspects for these access points and seals the housing unit to deter the return of the bat. Follow-up deterrent visits are normally conducted in the evening when the roost is empty in order to seal around the exterior surfaces such as the windows. Military family housing maintenance will install weather stripping on doors to ensure bats do not reenter the home. To report a bat sighting or bats roosting in military family housing, dorms or work area contact, the 90th CES customer service at 773-3175. Under no circumstances should one attempt to feed or handle the bats.