The fear of creepy crawlies has been stoked to frenzied levels with news of the impending arrival of the Joro flying spider, a giant venomous spider that doesn’t really fly so much as float, but, well, does it make it any less terrifying?
In recent years, Finger Lakes residents already have been warned to be on the lookout for spotted lanternflies, Asian jumping earthworms, hemlock woolly adelgids, gypsy moths and other invasive species harmful to what’s supposed to be growing in the Finger Lakes region. Yes, it’s a jungle out there. But it kinda, sorta always has been. You remember bats, don’t you? And they’re already here.
Now comes a reminder from Ontario County Public Health to be wary about close encounters with this old-school flying animal because of the rabies it could carry and transmit to humans and their pets. Bats are interesting creatures and help keep the mosquito population at bay, but they can carry rabies, according to Ontario County Public Health Director Kate Ott. If you wake up to a bat or find one in your home, catch it if you can and contact public health authorities immediately.
“If you believe you have had contact with a bat, call your health department before letting it go,” Ott stated.
How to keep bats out of your home
- Seal gaps and cracks around the home to prevent bat entry.
- Install screens on windows and vents to deter bats from entering living spaces.
- Contact local bat control experts.
How to catch a bat in your house
- Wear thick gloves.
- Wait for it to land and use an empty plastic container to cover it.
- Slide the lid on the container.
- To see how it’s done, watch this bat-catching video from the state Department of Health at https://youtu.be/puP8qbATPKg.
How to know if you’ve been exposed to rabies
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The rabies virus is in the saliva and nervous tissue of infected animals. It is most common in wildlife such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes but occasionally occurs in other species such as woodchucks or deer, among others. Cats, dogs, ferrets, and livestock can get rabies if they are exposed.
Rabies exposures include being bitten by a bat, waking to a bat or finding a bat near a small child or an unconscious or impaired adult. If this happens, catch it, keep it and call the health department. The bat will be tested for rabies. Bree Rosato, the county’s rabies program coordinator, said human rabies is preventable if vaccine is given after exposure.
“Fortunately, vaccine is not necessary if we have the bat to test and it’s negative,” Rosato said.
How to keep pets safe from rabies
- Be sure your dog, cat or ferret is up to date with rabies vaccinations.
- Even indoor pets need the rabies vaccine and it’s required in New York.
Where to get a rabies vaccine for your pet
Your pet’s veterinarian is one place to get the vaccine. Ontario County Public Health has a free rabies clinic from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 29, at the Ontario County Public Works building, 2962 County Road 48, Canandaigua.
