Bats are beautiful. I’m happy to claim this bias, which some might see as batty. The more I’ve learned about these fetching flyers, the more I realize how truly misunderstood they are. 

Charged with everything from vampirism to entangling themselves in the hair atop our heads, bats have been villainized and terrorized since humans have laid eyes upon them. As our knowledge of bats has increased, awareness of the many benefits they provide, along with the challenges they face, has continued to grow.

But don’t just take my word for it. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, bats are one of the most important mammals sharing our lives. “Though often feared and loathed as sinister creatures of the night, bats are vital to the health of our environment and our economy,” writes Courtney Celley in an agency article. Bats play essential roles in pest control, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. 

And let’s not forget that bats are basically some of our best neighbors. A single bat can consume as many as 500 insects in just one hour, or nearly 3,000 insects every night. Remember that the next time you are being mauled by mosquitos!

On average, bats live approximately four to six years in the wild and have a low reproductive rate, with many females not breeding until their second year and most bearing only one or two pups per year. Pregnant females roost in rock crevices, tree cavities and foliage. Pups are born hairless, blind and dependent on their mothers, who nurse them following their birth in late May and early June. 

For the welfare of those pups, female bats sometimes establish maternity colonies in the attics of our warm homes. Should you find yourself sharing living quarters with bats, it will be of great benefit to them—and to you—to visit the following link to the excellent and informative booklet, “A Homeowner’s Guide to Northeastern Bats and Bat Problems,” by Lisa M. Williams-Witmer and Margaret C. Brittingham. (extension.psu.edu/a-homeowners-guide-to-northeastern-bats-and-bat-problems). 

Here you will learn how to easily remove a single bat that has accidentally entered your home (do NOT kill it), as well as what to do if your home is housing a bat maternity colony. There is additional information on bat-proofing a building and the best timing for doing so in order to minimize harm. You can also read about how to provide an alternative roost in the form of a bat box, including construction plans for completing one.

Visit here to learn more about bat species typically encountered in the Upper Delaware River region. Visit here for specific actions you can take to become a bat ambassador.