Add The New York Post on Google New York is going batty!
Bats are swooping into homes across New York’s Capital Region and Hudson Valley this summer, with pest-control pros reporting a surge in calls from homeowners who have discovered the flying mammals taking up residence.
Thomas Pest Services in Albany has seen roughly a 15% jump in bat-related calls this year, according to the Times Union newspaper.
Bats give birth during the summer and then look for cool, dry places to feed and care for their babies. Ivan Kuzmin – stock.adobe.com The reason? Baby bats.
Mid-June marks the start of maternity season for New York’s nine native bat species, as hungry mothers spend their days hunting insects and seek out warm, dark places to raise their pups.
Bats can squeeze through tiny openings as small as a quarter-inch or 3/8 of an inch, allowing them to slip into attics, walls and other hard-to-reach spaces.
The creatures can also turn homes into year-round shelters — particularly as they struggle with white-nose syndrome, a devastating fungal disease that has killed millions of bats across North America.
Still, experts caution that more bats being reported does not necessarily mean there are more bats.
If there is a bat in your home, safely contain the animal and call your local health department or animal control immediately. Nicolas – stock.adobe.com Ashley Meyer, a wildlife biologist with New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, said increased public awareness — namely fears about rabies — may be driving reports of increased sightings.
The actual risk of catching rabies from a bat remains low, Meyer said.
In 2025, just over 2% of 239 bats tested in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga and Rensselaer counties were positive for rabies, although on a nationwide basis, seven in 10 human rabies deaths are caused by bats.
Wildlife experts recommend sealing cracks and holes with caulk, flashing, steel wool or heavy mesh, while covering attic vents and chimneys with secure wire mesh screens and proper caps.
If a bat gets inside your home — or if someone may have been bitten or had direct contact with it — health officials recommend contacting your local county health department or animal control immediately.
