To encourage the bat colony to move elsewhere, campus employees covered openings in the press box walls with plastic sheeting that allowed bats to leave but made it difficult for them to get back inside. About three weeks later, after all the bats were out, workers used insulation and caulking to seal the walls, said Dan Kermoyan, safety adviser with the campus Environmental Health and Safety Office. The work was finished before the Aggie's second home game against Humboldt State University on Oct. 2. Spaces between the corrugated metal siding and wooden walls had previously enabled the bats to crawl up into a floor space between the press box's two levels, Kermoyan said. No bats were killed in evicting the colony, said campus veterinarian Phil Tillman.
Many bat species eat insects that damage crops and spread disease.
However, human fear of bats has led to their rapid decline. Many species are endangered. Only 1 percent to 2 percent of the Toomey Field bats likely had rabies, Tillman said, given the statistics for other bat populations. Remember they're active at dusk. Picture the homecoming game.