Bat encounters up across Delaware County, Pennsylvania, during summer flight season
Bats are turning up in unexpected places across Delaware County, Pennsylvania, including homes and offices, as young bats learn to fly. But health officials are urging people to take bat encounters seriously.
"Bats are very beneficial in our environment, but they can be dangerous too because they can be a carrier of rabies, which is something we worry about," Lora Werner, director of the Delaware County Health Department, said.
Werner said there have been 75 bat exposures in Delaware County so far this year, with 40% of those exposures happening within the last month.
Of the 37 bats tested in Delaware County, two tested positive for rabies.
"Rabies is a really serious condition," Werner said. "We don't like to hear that anyone has had a bite or a scratch. And that's where we always recommend to anyone who has had that to proceed with getting the prophylaxis, the shots that you can get to prevent rabies."
Stephanie Stronsick, founder of Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation in Mertztown, Berks County, said the health concerns are important, but she doesn't want people to fear bats.
Bats provide natural pest control by eating insects that harm forests and agriculture.
"Bats are important for our ecosystem," Stronsick said. "They eat moth species, beetle species, the cornea worm, cucumber beetle, potato beetle, stink bugs and cicadas."
Her center cares for more than 300 wounded, orphaned and sick bats each year. She urges people not to try to catch a bat that goes inside your home.
"If you find a bat in your attic, contact a licensed humane wildlife removal company," Stronsick said. "We have a few that we directly suggest because we know that they're humane and they're professional, so that's listed on our website."
Stronsick said opening doors and windows can give it a way to fly outside if a bat is elsewhere in the home or in the garage. People should keep their distance and avoid touching the animal.
The goal, Stronsick said, is to keep people safe while also protecting bats.
