Whidbey Island home infested with thousands of bats turns dream into nightmare

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. — A couple’s dream of owning a home on Whidbey Island quickly transformed into a nightmare when they discovered their new dream house was infested with thousands of bats. Tom Riecken and Mackenzie Powell purchased the property, unaware of the significant issue lurking within the walls.

After moving in, the couple began to hear unusual noises from the attic, leading them to investigate further.

“My stomach dropped,” Powell said upon discovering the extent of the infestation. “The anxiety attacks from thinking about what if my baby got scratched and is going to die from rabies. It broke my heart.”

Video captured by the couple shows hundreds of bats flying out of the home.

The couple later learned that the attic walls were filled with Big Brown Bats, which fly away and migrate during the winter, around the same time the house inspection had passed.

The couple said that they believe the previous owner, who inherited the house and sold it without disclosing the bat problem, was aware of the issue but took advantage of legal loopholes.

The couple found gaps in the side of the house, which allowed the bats to crawl into the attic walls.

“We had an expert come out and walk the roof, and he said ‘It was one of the worst residential infestations he’s ever seen,’” Riecken shared. “We’re probably talking about somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 bats over the last 20 years.”

“We knew immediately this was our entire life savings flying out of the house one animal at a time. We were horrified,” he added.

Since discovering the infestation, Riecken and Powell have spent nearly $100,000 to remediate the situation, which included demolishing the dry walls and removing significant amounts of bat waste.

“There was enough to fertilize our garden and several farms on Whidbey Island,” Riecken noted.

The Whidbey Island couple was able to rescue most of the bats after clearing the attic.

After nearly two years of work, the couple can now live bat-free in their home, albeit with a sense of humor about their experience.

“This is my husband’s idea of a funny joke,” Powell said, referring to bat-themed decorations they now have set up in celebration of the spooky holiday.

Fortunately, the family has tested negative for rabies, allowing them to celebrate their newfound peace in their home this Halloween. They identified two types of bats in their residence: Yuma Myotis and Big Brown Bats.

As they continue to adjust to their home, Riecken and Powell hope to raise awareness about the importance of proper home inspections to prevent others from facing similar situations.

YUMA MYOTIS BATS:

According to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Yuma Myotis bats are widely spotted in Washington, with records existing for nearly all counties. Overall, Yuma Myotis are considered one of the more common species in the Cascades, northeastern Washington, at Moses Coulee, on the Olympic Peninsula, and the lowlands of western Washington. In contrast, this species is relatively uncommon or rare in eastern Washington.

Yuma Myotis live in moist and dry forests, riparian zones, grasslands, shrubsteppe, and deserts, and are closely associated with rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. This species is generally found at lower elevations.

BIG BROWN BATS:

Big Brown Bats, also known as Eptesicus fuscus, are one of the largest bat species in Washington and feature a heavy body, large head, and broad nose. The large, powerful jaw musculature and heavy teeth of big brown bats allow them to feed on hard-bodied insects as well as other prey. Beetles typically form the bulk of their diet, while moths, termites, true bugs, leafhoppers, flies, and flying ants are other main foods.

This species is seen throughout Washington. The Big Brown bat is a habitat generalist that occupies a variety of forest types, rangeland, and urban areas. In Washington and Oregon, the species is more common in forest than shrubsteppe and alpine areas.

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