The temperature is dropping and Halloween is coming, and bats like our warm domiciles and will often make it their home until spring (often in attics).

The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) is reminding people to be vigilant of bats entering their homes this time of year and offering tips on how to keep bats out as well as how to remove a bat if it does enter a residence.

Bats only become a problem when they decide to use an attic or other section of a home or building for a roosting or nursery colony. Most people do not tolerate that idea very well, and it becomes necessary to evict the bats and repair the structure as needed to prevent them from entering in the future. Accumulations of their droppings (guano) can cause odor and bug problems, which is the primary reason bats should be excluded from a structure occupied by people. Bats may use caves or old mining shafts for roosts, but many of those areas are becoming scarce. Bats are adapting by using man-made structures for roosting and nursery colonies. They are able to locate very small openings into homes and buildings, and it seems churches are one of their favorites. Bats do not chew their way into structures!They only use gaps and holes that already exist, and locate them by sensing air currents and temperature. They are simply opportunists. Taller structures are more likely to receive less maintenance due to a lack of access for repairs. People seldom notice small cracks or gaps on higher buildings, but a 1/2″ crack in a mortar joint 30 or 40 feet off the ground becomes a superhighway for bats to enter a structure. Since they are nocturnal and for the most part very quiet animals, they often use attics for years before the odor from the build-up of droppings alerts us to their presence.

Bats will sometimes appear in your home during the winter months. They hibernate from late fall (Oct/Nov) until spring arrives (Mar/Apr). It was previously believed bats migrated to caves or mines for hibernation, but we now know many will hibernate inside homes and buildings.

New York is home to nine species, some of which are protected so killing is not permitted unless the bat has been identified, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

According to bat-removal specialist Neil Tregger of Hudson Valley Wildlife Solutions, spring is the time to make sure your home is sealed so bats can’t enter, especially if you’ve had bat problems before. Bats, like other mammals, tend to return to favorite habitats to roost and care for their babies.

MEET THE 9 SPECIES OF BATS THAT LIVE IN NEW YORK

Though many bats favor trees, they can find their way into older homes, new homes in previously forested areas, and houses of any age with holes, cracks, and crevices. What’s more, they love hiding behind shutters and under porch roofs. The females tend to live together in large colonies, while the adult males live on their own, according to the New York State of Department of Health (NYSDOH).

“I strongly encourage all residents to inspect the area around their air conditioning units. It is important that the gaps around air conditioners are sealed properly with foam or fabric to keep bats out,” said health department Commissioner A. K. Vaidian. “If a bat is found in your house, and there is a possibility that it had direct contact with a human or pet, then the bat will need to be captured and tested. This includes situations where a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, intoxicated or mentally compromised person. Don’t release the bat unless you can be sure there was no contact between the bat and any people or domestic animals and have consulted with DBCH.”

Dr. Vaidian shared that during this time of year, the bat population increases markedly with new young bats. Residents should remain vigilant when removing window air conditioning units as the days get cooler.

For 2019 to date, DBCH has investigated 86 reports of potential exposures of people or domestic animals to bats.

While bats are gentle and not aggressive, they do carry and transmit diseases, namely rabies. Due to their small size, bats can easily squeeze into very small gaps (1/2 inch), such as in between the upper and lower window sashes. DBCH provides the following recommendations to prevent bats from entering your home:

• When a window is opened to install an air conditioner, it creates a gap between the upper and lower window sashes.  Also check that no gaps exist on the sides and bottom of the unit.  Bats may gain entry to your house through these gaps. Check to make sure the upper window sash stays in place.  Brace it up if needed.
• Be sure open windows have tight-fitting and intact screens. Ensure entry doors have a self-closing screen door.
• When placing a fan in a window, be sure the screen remains in place.
• Keep garage doors and other doors closed when not in use.
• Make sure chimney dampers are closed. Seal all unused openings from the house into the chimney.
• Be sure access points to non-habitable spaces such as attics, basements, and crawlspaces are kept closed with tight-fitting doors.

If a bat does manage to enter your home, and if there is a chance it came into contact with a human or pet, it will need to be captured and sent to a lab for testing. If you are capable of capturing it yourself, confine the bat to one room by closing all windows and doors, turn on the lights, and wait for the bat to land. Wearing gloves, approach the bat slowly, cover the bat with a coffee can or similar container and slide a piece of cardboard or lid under the can trapping the bat. Tape the cardboard or lid to the container.

To make arrangements to have the bat tested for rabies, call DBCH at (845) 486-3404. If it is after normal business hours, on the weekend, or a holiday, call the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health answering service at (845) 431-6465.

For more information on rabies and to view a video on how to capture a bat, visit DutchessNY.gov/Rabies.