How bats see at night

Bats – they are most commonly known as creatures of the night particularly popular for their nocturnal senses and power of flight. Bats are also known for their sensitive auditory senses. It was known that bats travel through the dark with the help of their hearing and communication with fellow bats, and not their sense of sight.

It was not until the 1790s that this fact was discovered. Bats were experimented by a curious Lazzaro Spallanzani. Through his tests, it was discovered that bats do not navigate through the dark with their eyes, but with their ears. This was proven when the bats' ears were plugged; they failed to navigate correctly and kept crashing into walls and other obstructions.

In 1930s, Donald Griffin, a student at Harvard University, made his own tests with bats. It was through his research and tests that the mystery of how bats navigate flawlessly in the dark and hunt their prey was answered. Bats navigate through echolocation.

What exactly is echolocation and how does it work?

Every time a bat flies, it releases a series of high-pitched sounds in the frequency only bats can hear. These sounds echo around the bat, and every time a prey is around, this echo bounces back to the bat. This is how they locate their prey without the use of sight.  These echoes that bounce around the environment help bats determine whether there is an object or prey, how big it is, and how far or near it is.  Bats have a very developed sense of hearing.

Although this is a fact, it does not mean that bats don't see well in daylight. Truth is, bats have good eyesight in daylight, but they do hunting at night through echolocation. Not all bats can echolocate, although a majority of the bat species do.

Bats are always on the hunt at night, and because of constant hunting they get led to different places. If your home has an attic, then you probably should check it more often. Bats who find prey regularly around your property could just decide to inhabit your house because of the easy food opportunities nearby.  Since bats live in colonies, inhabiting your home could prove to be a serious problem in the future as the colony grows.

When you encounter a bat situation, handle this with care. It is best to call in professional Kitchener wildlife control. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control Kitchener can help you keep the bats and other wildlife away with effective methods such as using a series of one-way doors to allow the bats and to exit the home while preventing their re-entry. In cases when you want to proactively seal your house from any kind of wildlife, Skedaddle wildlife control Kitchener technicians can assess your home and recommend exclusion.

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Tracking Raccoons: Signs of Infestation

Through the dark night a creature wanders in search of food and a home. Being nocturnal, its masked eyes see through the darkness and it becomes its aid as it goes through fences and stumbles across backyards. Yes, this little furry bandit the raccoon is adept in picking and scratching. It makes its way and finds a bounty of food—this is a place it would return to and eventually call home. Unfortunately, this home could be your home as well.

Raccoons have been known as destructive critters to have around a property. They can chew and scratch open almost anything. They are also relatively stronger than the rest of the wildlife known to infest houses regularly.

Now, how would you know if your home is infested with raccoons? Knowing would help you determine your next course of action, whether to take matters into your own hands or hire professionals to eliminate possible risks.

Here are some signs you must check to know whether or not your house is infested.

1. You see a raccoon run about your yard or you hear scratching noises on your roof at night.

Raccoons are nocturnal animals so they are most likely on the hunt for food during the night. This also makes them hard to spot, which gives them the advantage.

2. You wake up with your trash bins opened and garbage everywhere around it.

One person’s garbage could be a treasure to something else. Raccoons will try to get their hands on food as much as they can, and your garbage bins offer a good amount of consumables. Raccoons are strong and have highly manipulative paws that help them open unsecured garbage bins and they will scour the contents to get a hold of food.

3. You find raccoon droppings around your house or your yard.

Most wildlife leaves droppings wherever they go and raccoons are no exception. Raccoon droppings are tube shaped, and are about 2 to 3 inches long. Raccoon droppings can be hazardous to health, since they may carry diseases and infections.

4. You find open wires and chewed on insulation and other damage to your property, most likely in your attic.

Check around for damaged property. Usually raccoons scratch and chew in places where there is minimal human presence and activities. Your attic is the best place for this, and this is the reason why you should always check your attic and repair roof damage that serve as the raccoon’s access.

If you home is infested with raccoons, it is highly recommended you seek help from Kitchener wildlife control authorities. This will minimize the risks of getting infected with diseases that they may be carrying, since an unprepared encounter with these cunning creatures could result in wounds and exposure to infections.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control Kitchener will help you get rid of the raccoons in the most effective and humane way possible. With over twenty-six years of making sure that wildlife stays out in the wild where they belong, you can rest assured that you will be able to get rid of this masked bandit and secure your family’s health and safety in no time.

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