Bats in Houses

Why do bats live in houses?

Bats have been around for longer than people have been living in houses and are adapted to live in places like holes in old trees.  However human activity has meant that many of these homes have been lost to bats so they look for the next best thing which is a nice, warm house.

How would I know if bats are living in my house?

There are various signs that you could look out for.  Bats collect, or roost,  in houses during the spring when pregnant females form a maternity roost in which they give birth to their babies.  They stay in the roost throughout the summer nuturing their young and, when the young bats are old enough to fend for themselves, leave in the autumn to mate and build up their fat reserves for winter hibernation.  Signs that you may have a maternity roost are high pitched chattering noises, especially at dawn and dusk, bat droppings on the ground outside the roost entrance (these are small pellets which crumble to dust when rubbed between the fingers) and numbers of bats seen around the house at dusk, the time the bats leave the roost to feed.

What should I do if I have bats in my house?

All species of British bat, and their roosts, are protected by law.  It is illegal to disturb, capture or kill a bat or to interfere with their roost, whether the bats are there or not.  If you suspect you have bats living in your house contact your local Scottish Natural Heritage office, the number is in the 'phone book, who will give advice on what you can do.  This advice may well be followed up by a visit from a bat worker, often from your local bat group, who will inspect your house for the presence of bats and talk to you about them.

Are bats a health hazard or will they damage my property in any way?

The answer to both these questions is no.  Bats do not carry any diseases known to affect humans. Bat droppings, although unsightly, do not pose any known health hazard and are odour free.  Bats are insect eating animals and do no damage to property. They do not have gnawing teeth like mice so they do not gnaw holes in wood, eat through cables or build nests

Will they breed out of control?