10/07/2025
Summer can be batty. No, literally, it's full of bats. And for some reason, we're seeing a lot of them this year. Those little blood suckers are not only scary, but they can be a source of rabies. So what do you do if you encounter a bat? Here's our advice:
- Consider what time of day you see the bat. Bats are nocturnal animals, so those found during daylight hours or otherwise seeming to have trouble flying have a higher likelihood of being infected with rabies.
- Never handle bats, and teach your children to stay away from them as well.
- Either on your own, or through a pest control professional, evaluate your home to ensure that there are no openings for bats to enter. This includes under roof eaves, attic vents, chimneys, window screens and gaps in the siding. Any opening not properly covered or sealed can allow bats entry into a home. If openings are found, they can be corrected by screening, netting, sealing gaps or other appropriate means depending on the material.
-If bats are believed to be roosting somewhere in the structure, have a professional determine the extent of the problem and address the removal of the bat colony. This generally needs to be done during warm months before the bats hibernate for the winter. However, bats are a protected species in Kentucky, and if immature bats are roosting in the building, removal or exclusion steps may not be possible until all bats are old enough to fly. This may be as late as August. Consult with a professional.
Learn more about bats and other things that bite at nkyhealth.org/animalbites.
