Why You Might Spot a Bat During the Daytime
Ever wonder what the purpose of bats is to the environment? Bats can be the most misunderstood mammal and they actually do more good than we think. Bats are nocturnal mammals and are mostly active from dusk to dawn. During their waking hours, they are usually scavenging for food or pollinating plants for us.
Believe it or not, bats are mammals and help with maintaining the balance of the ecosystems by eating more than 3 times their body weight in insects. Without bats, plants would be unpollinated and unable to give us food, and there would be many more mosquitoes and pests than we would like! Bats are mostly active after dusk up until dawn, so it can seem very unusual and unsafe to see one during the daytime, but in some situations it’s possible. Here are the three reasons why you might see a bat during the day, and what you should do when you see one.
Separated From Mother
It is fairly common that bats are found during the daytime because they have been separated from their mother. Baby bats will generally wait for their mother to find them, however, when it’s dusk, the risk of fallen to a bigger predator might entice them to fly aimlessly to find their mother. Bats are lost and confused on their own, and without the help from their mother to guide them, they are at risk for surviving. If you see a bat alone during the day, odds are it is trying to find its way back home to its mother.
Sick Bats
When a bat is sick or injured, it can leave their roost during daytime and might not be in the best condition to fly and navigate. One of the most common diseases carried by sick bats is rabies. It is best to stay away from bats during the day to decrease your risk of getting infected. Rabies can cause confusions, abnormal behavior, and more if exposed. If a bat is unable to recover and fly off on its own, it needs professional help or removal and a certified wildlife specialist should be contacted.
Changes In Weather
Many bats like to roost on top of a roof and during the summer, it could mean that the habitat gets very hot. This is more common especially if the roof tiles are in dark colors like blue or black. Bats eventually would fly out of their shelter to cool themselves on summer days. An ideal temperature for bats is somewhere between 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. If temperatures are rising much higher, especially during the summer, bats will flee from where they are hiding during the day to find a cooler shelter for the rest of their sleeping hours.
What You Should Do When Encountering a Bat
If a bat is spotted during daytime, DO NOT try to be near it, touch it, or kill the bat under any circumstances. Call a wildlife rescue company immediately to capture it in a safe and humane way. It takes years of training, licensing and experience to trap a bat and relocate them humanely in the wild. Call us at 781- 830-6080 or contact us here
FAQ About Bats During the Daytime
What do I do if I spot a bat during the day time?
Do not touch the bat and try to stay away from it if possible. It is important to call a professional to remove it and do not try to swing at it or get rid of it yourself. Removal of bats and other wildlife animals is to be done by professional experts only.
Can a bat survive in the daylight?
Bats are known for being nocturnal animals, which means they only come out during the night. They are able to see and survive during the daytime, but they do so better at night.
Are bats afraid of light?
Bats will try to avoid light if at all possible. Because they are nocturnal, they have become accustomed to darkness and prefer to survive that way. Ironically, in some situations, using light to try to deter bats from coming around you could actually have the opposite effect. Certain artificial light can attract insects and in the following, bats will come after those insects for food.
Baystate Wildlife Bat Removal and Control
If you suspect there is a bat in your backyard or home in need of removal, call 781-830-6080 and a licensed member of our team will be happy to help. At Baystate Wildlife, our team prioritizes the process of safely removing all bats and other wildlife from your home. Unlike exterminators, who will exterminate all the bats, we only use humane methods to remove bats from your home. Not only will we come to your destination in a quick and timely manner to remove it, but we also install specialized equipment to prevent future bats from entering. Baystate Wildlife also offers bat inspections, proofing, and clean ups for the residents and businesses in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and other areas of Massachusetts. Contact us today at 781-830-6080 to learn more. You can also learn more about our bat removal process here.
