Tag Archives: bats

Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Nuisance Animal in Illinois?

Raccoons carrying disease into your home

You may not realize it, but that nuisance animal in your attic, shed, garage or on your property might be legally protected in Illinois.

Most wildlife is protected by law and cannot be killed or even removed without a permit.

The Illinois Department of National Resources is tasked with conservation and management of wild species in Illinois. By Illinois law, a property owner or tenant needs a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

By Illinois law, property owners or tenants need a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit (PDF) to trap and remove most species of wildlife.

Is the animal you want to remove a protected species? We’ve listed the most common nuisance animals in Illinois below.

Questions? Call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861

Mice, Norway rats, moles, voles, gophers, and shrews

These small mammals may all be removed with no permit needed.

Exceptions to this rule include the eastern woodrat and rice rat, which are endangered species in Illinois. These two species may not be removed.

Ground squirrels and chipmunks

The eastern chipmunk and the thirteen-lined ground squirrels may be removed without a permit.

Franklins ground squirrels are listed as threatened in Illinois and may not be removed.

Raccoons, skunks, opossums, beavers, muskrats, red foxes, gray foxes, mink, river otters, badgers, weasels, woodchucks, coyotes, and bobcats

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove fur-bearing animals. If you want to remove a fur-bearing animal yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, the IDNR encourages removal of most furbearers during open hunting and trapping seasons whenever possible. All Illinois hunting regulations must be followed. For more information on hunting and trapping regulations, visit the IDNR Licenses & Hunting site.

Related: Common animal entry points

Gray squirrels, fox squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove squirrels. If you want to remove a squirrel yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, gray squirrels and fox squirrels may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Rabbits

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional wildlife removal service to capture and remove rabbits. If you want to remove a rabbit yourself, contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist to see if you qualify for a Nuisance Animal Removal Permit.

In rural areas, rabbits may be taken during open hunting seasons.

Bats

The (IDNR) recommends hiring a professional bat removal service to capture and remove bats.

Bats inside rooms will usually exit on their own. Close off exits to the room and keep windows open overnight.

White-Tailed Deer

White-tailed deer are protected under the Illinois Wildlife Code as a game species. It is illegal to take live deer from the wild unless you have received a permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) or are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

IDNR Deer Removal Guidelines (PDF)

In rural areas, deer hunting is permitted in season. All state hunting regulations must be followed. Outside of hunting season, or in situations where hunting is not allowed, a deer removal permit may be issued by an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist.

A person who hits and kills a deer with a motorized vehicle can legally claim the deer to salvage the meat, hide, and antlers.

For more information on hunting and trapping in Illinois visit the Illinois Department of National Resources.

For professional animal removal services in Chicagoland call Attic Solutions (847) 464-1861

Disease in Bat Feces

Bats are great to have in the wild because they help control insect populations from getting out of control, but they are not so great to have in your home.

Bats in Illinois are well known to be carriers of rabies and are more likely than any other wild mammal to carry the disease. Less well known is that their feces (bat guano) can carry disease as well.

Bats living in your attic can cause problems and most concerning among them is disease carried in their guano.

Histoplasmosis in Bat Feces

Piles of bat excrement in attic

Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease which can be contracted by inhaling the spores of the histoplasmosis capsulation fungus.

The disease is not actually carried in the bat feces. Instead, it is a result of mold which grows on the bat guano.

Bats can create large piles of feces in your attic. Where a rodent such as a mouse will spread its feces throughout its range, bat feces will usually accumulate in a single area.

If you don’t notice the bats in your attic or home right away, piles of guano can accumulate. Over time it can begin to become the perfect environment for the histoplasmosis fungus.

How histoplasmosis is transmitted

Histoplasmosis infections are caused by breathing in the spores of a histoplasmosis capsulation fungus. This will happen if the spores become airborne, which is most likely to occur when you are trying to clean up the bat feces or another work project that disturbs the mess, causing the dried feces to break up and become airborne. This will result in an infection of the lungs.

Histoplasmosis is not contagious from person to person

Because it is a lung infection caused by inhaling the spores, an infected person cannot transmit the disease to another person.

Symptoms of histoplasmosis

Possible symptoms include fever, dry cough, chest pain, joint pain, red bumps on your lower legs. In severe cases, symptoms may include: excessive sweating, shortness of breath, coughing up blood.

Most people who are infected with histoplasmosis will not actually contract any symptoms. It will often disappear in less than two weeks without treatment.

If a severe infection is untreated, a person could incur scarring on the lungs from the infection, which can cause lasting damage to the lungs, blood vessels, and other internal organs.

However, it is usually only a danger to people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and children.

Increased or continuous exposure to the source of the spores can increase the severity of the infection. This is why proper cleanup is so important.

Bat feces cleanup

A cleaned and restored attic

Before doing any cleanup, you will need to make sure all the bats are removed from the attic and that any points of entry have been sealed so they can not return.

It is recommended that you use a professional bat removal and attic restoration service to clean up after bats.

Bats are a protected species in Illinois and must be handled by trained professionals like our team.

We are experienced and well equipped to perform bat excrement cleanup. We have protective clothing and respirator devices to protect ourselves so we can get into infected areas and perform a thorough cleanup.

We can make repairs to your property and take preventative measures so you don’t have to worry about those pesky bats returning.

Have a bat problem you need assistance with?
Contact us today

Bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861

How to Get Bats Out of the House

Do you have a bat in the house?

Is it flying around in circles in your living room right now?

Remain calm!

Catching a bat is not necessarily easy, or recommended by us. But if you’re the DIY type, we won’t try to stop you.

For a FREE bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861

Will a bat attack people?

Bats are generally not aggressive but if it feels like you are threatening it, the bat could potentially bite you.

That bat doesn’t want to be in your house either. He’s trying to figure out how to get outside too.

The bat doesn’t want to fly into your hair and get stuck. The bat doesn’t want to bite you or suck your blood. That’s just what television makes you think.

However, a bat is still a wild animal, and wild animals can be unpredictable, they can bite, and bats can carry rabies or other diseases. Keep your pets away and proceed with caution!

Related: Bat myths and facts

Here is what you can do to get that bat out of your house.

If the bat can be isolated in a single room, that’s ideal. Start by closing interior doors to that room so the bat won’t escape to another part of your home where it may be even harder for him to escape or you to capture.

We don’t suggest you try catching a bat, but if you’re going to try, wear gloves, long pants and long sleeves, shoes and socks.

Open your windows and doors

Your first and easiest option is to open all the windows and doors in your home. Bats use echolocation to find their way around and they may be able to find their way out an open door or window without any help or coaxing.

Turning off interior and exterior lights may help. If there is something noisy such as a TV or an air conditioner in the room, it should be turned off as well.

Catch with a butterfly net

If the bat takes a moment to land, you may be able to safely capture it with a butterfly net (if you have one). Catching the bad mid-flight can be very challenging.

When caught, pull the top of the net closed or cover the opening with something like a piece of corrugated cardboard from a box. Be careful not to crush the bat or to touch it. Carry it carefully outside and release.

Catch it with a container

You can use a bucket, Tupperware container or a large plastic bowl to try and capture the bat when it has landed. Carefully place the container over the bat on the wall and then use a piece of cardboard to slide under it before removing. Take it outside and release it.

Catch it with a blanket

You can use a blanket to try and capture a bat that has landed. Place it over the bat and gently bunch it up so it is closed inside. This method may not be best for the bat, because it could be easy for you to accidentally injure it.

For professional bat removal in Chicagoland call us at (847) 464-1861

Bats in the Attic During Winter Months

Brown bats in attic during winter

As the winter months approach, common bats will either migrate to warmer climates or more commonly, hibernate from November to April.

It’s quite possible bats may be hibernating in your attic!

It was once thought that bats usually hibernated in caves during the winter months but it is actually much more common for them to find a safe spot in homes and buildings. We just usually don’t realize it because bats don’t just find a spot at the top of your attic to hang like we might imagine. They often will hibernate beneath your insulation or find a space in between the walls.

What not to do with bats in your attic

Don’t seal their exit! The most common mistake people make is to seal all of the entries and exits during the day. The problem with this is that now you’ve trapped them inside. Those bats will now be desperate to get out and will very likely find their way into another room in your house, creating an unpleasant situation.

Dont Kill the bats You may not realize this, but in most states bats are a protected species. They are so valuable in helping control insect populations that they are protected at both the state and federal level.

Don’t use poisons, glue boards, or high-frequency noise emitters Although you might be able to buy these products online, there is actually a federal ban against ultrasonic pest control devices. It is illegal to poison bats in Illinois.

What to do about bats in the attic

Inspection Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional bat removal service, the first step is a thorough inspection to find bats, their locations, entry and exit points.

Exclusion You need first to locate the primary entry and exit points while observing the bats in the evening. During the winter months, bats may exit your home to search for water if the temperature move above 45 degrees. When all bats have left the home for evening hunting, this is when you should seal all entry points.

Professional Removal Bats in your attic during the winter months will spend a majority of the time being inactive. This is a good time to contact a professional removal service to have them safely removed. Remember, bats are a beneficial and protected species, so do not attempt to remove them yourself during hibernation.

Call a professional

If you don’t want to remove bats yourself (and we DON’T recommend it), then please call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861 for professional bat removal in the Chicagoland area.

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Image Source: Wikipedia Commons
Post Sources: The Bat Guy & MIBat Control

Bat Bugs: The Pest You’ve Never Heard Of

What is a Bat Bug?

Bat bugs are blood-sucking parasites that feed on the blood of bats. They will also bite humans. These parasites are closely related to bed bugs and often mistaken for them. In fact, microscopic identification is one of the only ways to distinguish between them. Bat bugs are flightless and travel by crawling.

Where Do They Live?

Bat bugs are moderately common in the Midwest, including Illinois. They are found in buildings and homes in which bats are present. They usually reside close to the bat’s roosting area, but will venture throughout the building if the bats leave or are removed. They do not live on bats, but may travel on a bat while they fly.

Feeding

Bat bugs feed on the blood of bats but feed on other warm-blooded animals. They will feed on humans if given the opportunity. They can survive a year without a blood meal, but will search for human hosts if bats are not present.

Are They A Threat To Humans?

Bat bug bites are nearly identical to bed bug bites. There are a variety of different reactions that come from a bat bug bite. Some experience inflamed, swollen spots, others have intense itching, and others show no signs of bites. Bat bugs are not known to transmit any diseases currently. Though they are not dangerous, they are pests that can breed fairly quickly and become an infestation.

What To Do

If you discover bats in your home, garage, or nearby property call animal control immediately. Removing bats from your property will immediately decrease the risk of bat bugs. Be especially vigilant for bat presence in old or abandoned buildings like barns and sheds. In addition, minimize risk of bats and bat bugs entering your home by sealing small entrances between the roof, siding, foundation, windows, and doors.

If you believe you have bat bugs, call a pest control service to identify and eliminate them.

Bat Myths

Bats

Bats Are Blind

The phrase “blind as a bat,” isn’t true at all. Bats are not blind and all species can see. Because they hunt at night, they use their echolocation to help them locate prey, perhaps leading to the idea that they don’t use their vision at all. However, bats use both echolocation and vision to hunt and navigate their way home.

Bats Attack People

Most species of bats eat insects and fruit and have no interest in attacking humans for any reason. Bats are not aggressive and do not behave aggressively toward humans; in fact, they usually try to avoid people.

Vampire Bats Suck Blood From People

There are three species of vampire bats that live in South and Central America, all of which do not eat human blood. These bats prefer to take meals from sleeping animals, livestock or birds, and take about an ounce of blood at a time.

Bats Are Flying Mice or Related To Rats

Bats are not rodents or related to rats and mice. Bats are more closely related to primates and lemurs than rodents.

Bats Become Tangled In Hair

Bats occasionally may fly near your face but they avoid it with ease. Their echolocation is so incredibly efficient that it helps them avoid obstacles as small as a piece of string.

Bats Carry Rabies

Most bats do not have rabies, and they contract rabies much less than other animals. Less than half of 1% of all bats may catch and contract the disease. However, if a bat bites you, immediately seek medical attention. The most common way to get rabies from a bat is handling a bat inside or near your home. Always call animal control services to safely remove a bat from your home.

Attic Solutions Alert: Rabid Bats in Chicago Area

According to a recent news report on ABC 7 Chicago, a local Naperville, Illinois family required rabies treatment after finding a rabid bat in their home. The family called Animal Control upon discovering the bat, which tested positive for rabies. Animal Control advised the entire family be inoculated against the disease since bats have such tiny teeth and could penetrate without leaving a mark.

Dr. Leroy Schild of Will County Animal Control advised that there were 13 cases of rabid bats in 2014 and 11 cases already this year. “This year is particularly bad because of the wet spring-… A lot of moisture, a lot of insects [sic] big food source for ’em,” he said.

Another family in Homer Glen found six rabid bats living in their garage and were also treated for rabies as a precaution. Animal Control authorities passed out flyers to neighbors in the area so they were aware of the situation.

It may seem unlikely that bats could get in your home, but you would be surprised how easy it is. Because bats are so small, it is not difficult for them to sneak in through a crevice, window, or chimney and move into your attic or basement.

As soon as you suspect you may have a bat infestation, call Attic Solutions immediately at 847-464-1861 for removal. We are trained professionals and equipped to deal with bat exclusion and removal. We will remove the bats and fix any property damage they may have caused.

White Nose Syndrome Cure For Bats?

Over the last decade, white-nose syndrome has killed more than 5.7 million bats across the United States and Canada. The disease was originally discovered in New York in 2006 and has spread at a rapid pace across the country since then. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently issued a statement cautioning Illinois residents that entire bat populations were dying throughout the Eastern United States while they hibernated in their caves and mines.

White-nose syndrome is named for a white fungus or mold (Pseudogymnoascus destructans [SU-doh-JIM-no-ASK-us DIH-STRUK-tans], also known as Pd) that grows on the nose and wings of infected bats. The fungus eats holes in the wings of bats, which causes them to become too weak to hunt. The bats eventually lose their fat reserves, which they need to survive during the winter and then starve to death. Interestingly, this same fungus does not kill bats in Europe because it seems to have evolved.

So far, while researchers and scientists have explored many white-noise treatments, none of the tested bats have been returned to the wild. That is, until May 19, 2015. On that night, a group of scientists released 150 bats that had been treated for white-nose syndrome back into the wild near Hannibal, Missouri. As recently as last fall, those same bats were suffering from the fungus. While the results are encouraging, since this was the first group of bats returned to the wild after being treated for white-nose syndrome we still have yet to see what happens. Craig Willis, a biologist at the University of Winnipeg in Canada who studies bats, but was not involved in this project says “there’s still a lot we need to know [about bats and the treatment] before we can get close to calling this or anything else a ‘cure.’”

ALERT: White Nose Syndrome Killing Bats Across the United States

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has issued a statement cautioning Illinois residents that entire bat populations were dying throughout the Eastern United States while they hibernated in their caves and mines. It is spreading rapidly and currently four Illinois counties have confirmed cases.

Healthy Bat

Bat with White Nose Syndrome

The affliction, White Nose Syndrome, is causing bats to lose their fat reserves, which they desperately need to survive during the winter. These bats are then starving to death, and as of now, the cause of White Nose Syndrome is unknown. White Nose Syndrome was originally discovered in New York in 2006. Since then, there have been confirmed cases in Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri.

The name, White Nose Syndrome, was coined due to the white fungus growing of the noses of infected bats. This previously undiscovered fungus has also been seen on some afflicted bats’ wings, ears, and tail. At this time, scientists are still unsure as to whether the fungus alone is causing the deaths, or if it is simply compromising the bats’ immune systems and allowing another pathogen to take advantage.

A University of Illinois White Nose Syndrome research team led by Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) (Steve Taylor, Andy Miller, Ed Heske, Joe Merritt, Nohra Mateus-Pinilla) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) (Anthony Yannarell) in collaboration with University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (Adam Stern), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Joe Kath, Endangered Species Manager), and the US Forest Service, Shawnee National Forest (Rod McClanahan, Wildlife Biologist) are working diligently through field work and laboratory testing to learn more about this disease.

If White Nose Syndrome spreads in Illinois, it could kill tens of thousands of bats. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources asks that if you spot a bat with any of the symptoms of White Nose Syndrome to document your location, attempt to take a photo if possible, and immediately contact the department at:

Joseph A. Kath
Endangered Species Manager
Illinois DNR – Division of Natural Heritage
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, Illinois 62702-1271
Office Phone: (217)785-8764
E-mail: Joe.Kath@illinois.gov

If bats are invading your home, they can be hazardous to you and your family’s health even if they do not have White Nose Syndrome. However, bats are a protected species and need to be removed from your home carefully. Contact the professionals at Attic Solutions is you think bats may be living in your home or attic.