[Jacob-list] Mosquito battle

[Linda]

I like bats.  I researched and did a paper on them for vertebrate biology in college.  (I'll admit that I chose scorpions for my invertebrate paper, so maybe I like 'creepy' things).  Anyway, I believe that bats are a good indicator of the health of your environment.  We're always happy to see them.  I'm not exactly sure what I'd do to harbor bats or raccoons.  We just live here and so do they.  The number of unvaccinated domestic pets in our area is probably more of risk for contacting rabies.  Although, come to think of it, if that stinky bear contracted rabies, that would be frightening. 

BTW - anyone familiar with the Florida Keys?  Long time ago, someone got the great idea to build a bat tower to house bats which were supposed to help with controlling the mosquitoe population.  The bats almost immediately disappeared.  Local Keys legend says the mosquitoes ate the bats!  

Linda


Getting ready for 2006 lambs!
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn

On Sat, 6 Aug 2005 11:39:45 -0700 (PDT), Christopher Brantley wrote:
> To play russian roulette is fun to some, not so fun to others....
> those who want to harbour bats, racoons and other creatures known
> to be resevoirs of rabies, and other pathogens... all that can be
> said id good luck!
>
> -C
>
> Susan Nielsen <snielsen at orednet.org> wrote:
>> On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Christopher Brantley wrote:
>>
>>> However, I would not encourage bats under any circumstance.
>>> With 8 deaths due to rabies in the last 17 years, 6 cases were
>>> from bat exposures, 1 racoon exposure, and 1 dog exposure. Bats
>>> are notorious for rabies and several viral and bacterial
>>> pathogens
>>>
>>
>> I think we need to get a little focus on this matter.
>>
>> The population of the US is about 265 million people just now.
>> You say that 6 deaths have resulted from bat-transmitted rabies
>> infection in the last 17 years (I couldn't find that figure, but
>> I'll take your word for it). Just as a comparative figure, in one
>> year, 1995, there were 1,000 deaths in the US from malaria, a
>> disease transmitted by mosquitoes.
>>
>> A foraging bat can consume between 600 and 1,000 mosquitoes (or
>> other insects) in one hour.
>>
>> And know also that bats may be "notorious" for rabies, but
>> notoriety and fact are not the same thing. Bats are not more
>> likely to be ill from rabies or to transfer the infection than
>> other mammals. When bat populations are tested for rabies, about
>> 1/2 of 1% test positive. Bats, when ill from rabies, tend to
>> exhibit the paralytic form rather than the agressive form of the
>> disease.
>>
>> Bats are not a population of rabid attack animals out there in
>> the night looking for a juicy human throat to bite. Most people
>> are not even aware that bats are plentiful in the cities as well
>> as the country, and that they are a common and beneficial part of
>> the neighborhood. As always, do not handle wild animals. Do not
>> go looking for contact with them. But don't go in fear of them,
>> either. You have a greater chance of getting plague, tetanus or
>> botulism than getting rabies from a bat. More people are killed
>> by city busses. More people win the lottery.
>>
>> I stan d by my bats. The mosquitoes are far more dangerous.
>>
>> Susan
>> --
>> Susan Layne Nielsen, Shambles Workshops |"...Gently down the
>> Beavercreek, OR, USA -- snielsen at orednet.org |stream..." -- Anon.
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---- Purveyors of fine honey, Jacob Sheep, Ashford spinning
>> products and Interweave books
>>
>>
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