Why is August So Batty?

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August is prime timing for baby bats to leave the roost. (Image credit: Public domain image.)

Every August, the Bat Phone starts ringing at the Humane Society. Callers are surprised by bats in the house. Thing is, bats love attics. Little ones, born in late spring, can't fly for several weeks. "In August, they leave the roost for the very first time, and often take wrong turns — like going through a slit around the attic door frame into the house rather than going out their 'normal' exit hole under the eaves of the attic to the outdoors," says Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife at the agency. Here's what you do, assuming you can corner the critter: Wearing leather gloves, put a coffee can or shoebox over the bat. Slide a piece of firm cardboard underneath. Release it outside in a tree or on a wall — most bats can't fly up from the ground (some can run, however).

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Robert Roy Britt
Robert Roy Britt

Robert is an independent health and science journalist and writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a former editor-in-chief of Live Science with over 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor. He has worked on websites such as Space.com and Tom's Guide, and is a contributor on Medium, covering how we age and how to optimize the mind and body through time. He has a journalism degree from Humboldt State University in California.