Bats shouldn't frighten county residents

The discovery of a bat on the grounds of League City Intermediate School last week illustrated a rarity in Galveston County.

Though bats live in dark, sheltered places all across the county, human-bat contact is still quite rare, said Galveston County extension agent William Johnson.

“Bats do not pose a hazard to humans, other than humans should not handle them,” he said. “They are everywhere, and most people aren’t even aware of them.”

In the League City case, the bat that students found on the north side of the school, 2588 Webster St., tested positive for rabies. However, there had been no known contact between the bat and humans or other animals, so there was no threat that the bat had spread rabies, said Kurt Koopmann, spokesman for the Galveston County Health District. This the first case of a rabid bat this year, he said.

Though not as prevalent as in Central Texas, which has the highest bat density in America, according to Bat Conservation International, bats do roost in attics and from drain pipes, tree cavities and building overhangs across Galveston County, Johnson said.

As spring approaches, bats, along with other mammals, will start to flock to attics, abandoned buildings and other dark shelters to raise their young, he said.

Bats typically wander into homes through loose-fitting doors, open windows, unscreened chimneys or gaps in outside walls, according to Bat Conservation International. They must have spaces at least 3?4-inch in diameter to enter, the organization states.

This is a good time for area homeowners to inspect their houses for cracks or holes in siding or trim where bats can easily enter.

“They basically seek a sheltered area that’s dark, and attics of homes are perfect spots,” Johnson said. “They will gain access if there is a hole large enough to do it. We strongly recommend that homeowners do a thorough check of the exterior of their home and look for boards that have come loose and caulk large areas that have opened up.”

There are 11 species of bats that reside in the Greater Houston area, Johnson said. The two types of bats that predominate in Galveston County are Mexican free-tailed bats and Eastern red bats, said Bob Loch, director of publications for Bat Conservation International.

Mexican free-tailed bats, 100 million of which flock to Central Texas each year to raise their young, occupy a wide variety of habitats, ranging from deserts to forests at elevations from sea level to 9,000 feet, according to the organization. They set up colonies in limestone caves, abandoned mines, under bridges and in buildings.

Eastern red bats are North America’s most abundant “tree bats,” according to the organization. They are red but often camouflage themselves as dead leaves or pine cones as they hang upside down in trees.

Cases of rabies from bats account for about one human death per year in the United States, according to Bat Conservation International. Rabies is nearly always transmitted by a bite, though non-bite exposures can result from contact between infected bodily fluids, according to the organization.

Koopmann said he could remember only one case in his history with the county’s health department of a bat biting a human. In that case, a tree trimmer was bitten by a bat, but it was later determined the bat didn’t have rabies.

The best way to avoid bat-spread diseases is to avoid touching bats, Koopmann said.

“Pretty much with any wildlife, don’t touch it with bare hands,” he said.

Those who do find live and healthy bats in their attics or at schools should immediately call a licensed exterminator, Johnson said. Those who find dead or immobile bats should call their local animal control department.

Despite human fears, bats are actually quite beneficial to humans, especially in coastal areas, because their diet consists solely of insects, Johnson said.

“They do a tremendous population control on insects, especially mosquitoes and moths,” he said. “Insects are their only food source.”

Bats can catch up to 1,200 tiny insects an hour and play key roles in keeping a wide variety of insect populations in balance, according to Bat Conservation International.

“Most bats are valuable allies, well worth protecting,” the organization states. “There are clear benefits to sharing our neighborhoods with bats, but as with any wild animal, they never should be tolerated inside our living quarters.”

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Bat Reports

Number of rabid bats reported in Galveston County

2005 — 1

2006 — 6

2007 — 2

Source: Galveston County Health District