Bats that roost in trees sometimes mistake buildings for big hollow trees. Occasionally a large bat colony will take up residence in the attic or walls of a house and they can be challenging to evict. Bats are the primary carriers of rabies in Illinois, and their accumulated feces, or guano, can have fungi that cause respiratory illness. You don’t want a colony of bats living in your house. If you think anyone in your house could have been bitten by a bat, seek medical attention immediately. For people or pets unable to report a bite, act as though they were bitten. Even groups of bats will be fairly quiet except right before dusk, when they vocalize as they prepare to exit for the night. Stay alert for bat squeaks from your walls or attic. Watch your house from the outside to see if bats emerge at dusk if you suspect they are present. It is possible to remove a single bat from your house by opening windows and doors or by capturing the bat in a shoebox. However, you should never handle bats directly and should allow animal control to remove any bat suspected of biting someone. If a bat colony is occupying your home, seek professional help to remove them.

Hire a Wildlife Control Operator

Multiple stings – 10 or more – can pose unique dangers to human health, especially in children, the elderly, and people who have heart or breathing issues. These can cause severe anaphylactic reactions, which constitute an eminent medical emergency. In addition, the cumulative impact of multiple doses of venom can induce toxic reactions in the body. If you experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, vertigo, fainting, fever, convulsions or seizures, or symptoms of anaphylaxis, seek medical attention immediately. Multiple sting events are also associated with rare but dangerous heart problems. If in doubt, seek medical attention. 

Men die from insect stings at disproportionate rates. Scientists speculate this may be because men disproportionately take jobs that put them in contact with stinging insects, like farming, forestry, and electrical line work. Men also have higher risk for certain allergic reactions. To the men of Illinois and beyond; when in doubt, please seek medical attention! 

What We Know about Sting-Related Deaths?

Ticks are dangerous primarily because of the disease-causing pathogens they can carry. While Lyme disease is the most well-known tick-caused illness, many other diseases can occur after infection by pathogens — bacteria, viruses, or other parasites — transmitted by various tick species. Some types of ticks are expanding their range in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Public Health operates a Tick Surveillance Map that shows tick species in your area and the diseases they may carry. The best way to guard against tick-borne diseases is to prevent ticks from biting you by employing strategies recommended by the CDC to repel or block ticks from your skin. If a tick has already embedded itself in your skin, then it is important to remove it safely, identify the tick to species, and retain the tick in the event it is needed for testing. For instructions on how to safely remove and store ticks, monitor bites sites, and more, visit the INHS Tick Bite Response website. Further information on tick removal, ranges, diseases, and testing is provided by INHS Medical Entomology Resources.