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Bat Bug Infestation

Bat bug infestations are common in the spring, summer and fall seasons of the year. The infestation is commonly misdiagnosed thus no effective treatment delivered. These bugs are confused with bed bugs in a great way since they are alike. Often times these parasites find their way into the living quarters then hide in beddings like sheets, pillow cases, and blankets or duvets. Bat bugs feed primarily on Austin bat blood but there have been documented cases where they use human as host and feed on human blood.



Why do you have them?
The root source of these menace is the Texas bats’ residence in your attic. The larger the colony, the larger the number of bugs. These parasites feed on bats’ blood and can be found in the roosting areas of bats. If bats have lived in your attic for long, there is a high chance that you also host bat bugs. To get rid of them, first, get rid of the bats. After that, get the home treated for bat bugs. Exclusion of bats alone won’t work as the bugs will start exploring other sources of food, and that is when the problem gets real.

What is their treatment?
The treatment for Austin bat bugs is much related to the management for bed bugs, however a wildlife removal expert will have to exclude the infested area before a workable bat bug treatment can be involved.Some of the chemicals used to treat bat bugs include:
• Bifenthrin
• Beta-cyfluthrin
• Lambda-cyhalothrin
• Deltamethrin
These are all registered and legal chemicals for bed bugs treatment as well, however they will bein effect for bat bugs if their host source is gone, the Texas bats.

How do they spread?
The most typical infestation occurs in some type of moteland hotel. These establishments host travellers which carry the parasites with them. Once unpacked, sleep linens andclothing shed eggs, the adults or the young ones. It only takes one fed female to start a narrow infestation. It then lay eggs which hatch and continue the process of infestation. Austin bats also carry them from one location to another. The bugs can survive for months without food but extended periods will cause them to vacate a roost. They will then find human as hosts for food.

Bat bug bite
People being bitten during the night by these bugs don’t have hostile reactions to the bite. In fact, they are punctures, not bites. The Texas bat bug has a needle like tube that bends in a couple of places. It is usually pushed inside the host’s skin to extract blood. It will then grab the skin as leverage. The whole process may cause a sensation on the skin. You may notice the marks or skin discomfort that will lead to an investigation.





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