Living with Bats
As their natural habitats have been gradually lost, bats have been forced to find alternative places to roost, and so some species have adapted to live in a variety of houses, from the large and old, to the modest and suburban.
Thousands of householders across the UK have bats roosting in their roof or loft space, and for the majority it is a wonderful experience. Many householders count their bats for BCT's National Bat Monitoring Programme, while others just enjoy watching the bats emerge on a summer's evening. These householders are playing a vital role in conserving our native bats.
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"They are beautiful animals, and I spend many summer evenings in my garden watching them. You can't smell or hear them - they are just a pleasure to have. I feel very lucky."Janet H of Silverdale, who has a roost of brown long eared bats in her loft |
Some people are concerned when they first discover that they have bats roosting in their house. People rarely come across bats and because there are so many myths and misunderstandings about them, they are unsure what to expect, and are unsure about what it means to have bats in the roof.
If you think bats are roosting in your house, the first things to be aware of are:
- Bats are not rodents, and will not nibble or gnaw at wood, wires or insulation.
- Bats do not build nests and therefore do not bring bedding material into the roost; neither do they bring their insect prey into the roost.
- All bats in the UK eat insects, so they are a great form of natural pest control! Their droppings are dry and do not putrify, but crumble away to dust.
- Female bats usually have only one baby a year.
- Most bats are seasonal visitors to roosts in houses - they are unlikely to live in that roost all year round, although they are loyal to their roosts and so usually return to the same roosts year after year.
- The risk of catching bat rabies from UK bats is miniscule. Rabies is transmitted through a bite or a scratch from an infected bat, or by saliva from an infected bat getting into an existing cut or coming into contact with a person's mucus membranes. It is not spread through urine or faeces. Therefore you are at no risk if you do not handle bats. Learn more about bats and rabies.
Building work
Bats and their roosts are protected by law. As bats tend to return to the same roosts every year, the roosts are protected whether bats are present or not. Thus it is illegal to kill, injure or take a wild bat, or intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to a bat roost. Having bats in your roof does not mean building work, repairs or timber treatment cannot take place but you will need to contact the local Statutory Nature Conservation Organisation (SNCO) for their advice before you proceed, and then follow this advice which is free of charge.
Visit our Bats, Buildings and Development section or Planning and the Law for more detailed information.
"We have a bat roost in our barge boards on the outside of the house and we are planning an extension. I thought that it was going to be really difficult but the help and advice we have received on plans and timings has been brilliant. And in all of this I feel I've started to understand and truly appreciate these wild creatures."
Anne W, Cheshire
Information about bats
- Bats are clean and sociable animals and spend many hours grooming themselves. They prefer to live in clean, cobweb free areas where there are no draughts.
- British bats are small: 3.3 - 8.2cm (1.25 to 3.25 inches) long, depending on the species of bat.
- Bats will not necessarily be in the roof void. Depending on the species they might be under hanging tiles on the front of the house, under the roof tiles or under lead flashing.
Further help
If you discover that you have a bat roost in your property and you require information or advice, contact your local Statutory Nature Conservation Organisation. You can also contact BCT for more advice on this. As well as identifying the number and species of bats in the roost, the SNCO will be able to assist you with any questions you have about bats, and about any building or maintenance work that needs to be done in or near the bat roost.
For any other queries, contact the Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228.
Remember:
- Under the Data Protection Act neither BCT, the SNCO nor your local Bat Group can give out your personal details without your permission, so you will not be under siege from bat lovers if you seek advice about bats in your property!
- Although bats do have legal protection, the law does not expect people to co-exist with bats in the living area (i.e. bedrooms, sitting room, etc.). On the rare occasions where bats from a roost in the roof are consistently finding their way into the living area of the house, the local SNCO should be contacted for advice to resolve the situation.
- N.B. You should not attempt any work on your property that may affect a bat roost or access to it, before you have spoken to the SNCO, otherwise you could break the law or make the situation worse. This applies even if the bats are not in the roost at the time.
- It is entirely possible for people to live peacefully with a bat roost in their roof - many people go for years without realising that they have bats.
- By protecting your bat roost you are playing a vital role in bat conservation.
Don't be afraid to contact BCT or the SNCO for fear of their putting the rights of bats above those of humans. BCT works to ensure people and bats can live together in harmony, and we are here to provide advice, guidance and information.
Related downloads
A guide for roost owners
A guide for roost owners