High number of bats forced inside homes due to cold winter

The extremely cold and snowy winter has been driving homeowners in Windsor, Ont., batty.

Shane Pearson of All Things Wild, a pest control company, says hes responded to a record number of bat calls because the creatures have been seeking warmth and shelter from the cold this winter.

A lot of people think theyve come from outside but they dont realize theyve been roosting in their attics or their walls, Pearson said. Weve got calls about them flying around living spaces.

Pearson said the periodic extremely cold days have jolted hibernating bats awake. Once they realize its still winter and incredibly colder than normal, they seek a warmer place to hibernate.

So, they follow the warmth into the living space, Pearson said.

He said a bat only needs an opening one centimetre in diameter to access a house or room.

So far this winter, Pearson has responded to 12 bat calls.

If there is a bat found flying in your house during the winter, we recommend a full inspection of the house and the attic to see if there is a colony. Because where theres one, theres more, Pearson said.

Pearson said if a home owner does encounter a bat, they should close the door to the room, seal the crack beneath the door and call a professional.

Dont release a bat into this cold weather. Theyll die within minutes, he said.

Pearson takes bats he captures to the Wings Rehabilitation Centre, an animal shelter in Amherstburg, southwest of Windsor.

Well get the odd one, but were up to eight of them now, Nancy Phillips of Wings said of bats. We were getting two or three a day.

Everything we have now cant be released until the spring.

Pearson isnt just responding to bat calls. Hes made more than 60 house calls this winter. He typically makes 25.

This is usually the down time. Its busy enough to keep me going non-stop throughout the wintertime, Pearson said.

He said hes found squirrels in chimneys and running through houses and racoons in attics.

Pearson said trees are barren, food is scarce and the temperatures are too cold for squirrels.

This winter, because of the cold weather and drop in temperature, has caused a lot of animals to seek shelter inside peoples homes, Pearson said. This year has been a lot busier than it has been before, because of the cold temperatures.