Seeing bats flit through your backyard at dusk might seem spooky, but these misunderstood creatures are essential to Australia’s ecosystem.
Here’s how to live alongside them safely (and why you might want to).
Why are there bats in my backyard?
Seeing bats at dusk or dawn isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, your garden might be the perfect pit stop.
“Flying foxes are attracted to flowering eucalyptus as nectar is their food of choice,” says Sue Westover, Chairperson at Bat Rescue South Australia Inc. “They’re also partial to fig and lilly pilly trees. During drought or nectar shortages, backyard fruit trees become an alternative food source.”
Additionally, Jeannie Campbell, Media Officer at Bat Rescue Inc. says it’s not just what you grow it’s also what you leave on. “Flying foxes come for nectar and fruit. Microbats come for insects, and that outdoor light left on all night is an open invitation,” she says.
Are bats good to have around your yard?
Absolutely. “Flying foxes are seed dispersers and pollinators,” says Sue. “They’re the only nighttime pollinators of our night-flowering eucalyptus, making them vital for regenerating bushland and rainforests after fires.”
Microbats, meanwhile, help regulate insect populations. “They can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes a night,” says Jeannie.
Sue adds, “Farmers are putting up bat boxes on their farms to attract the bats to come and eat the pests. Nature’s pest controllers.”
Is it safe to have bats around your house?
Yes, as long as you don’t touch them. The clear advice from NSW Health and wildlife experts: never handle a bat with your bare hands.
While disease transmission is extremely rare, bats can carry Australian bat lyssavirus, a rabies-like virus that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. If you see a bat on the ground, tangled in netting, or behaving oddly, call a licensed wildlife rescuer.
“Less than half a per cent of the bat population carries Lyssavirus,” says Sue. “If bitten, disinfect the wound immediately under running water for several minutes and contact your doctor or a hospital. You’ll be given a free, effective post-exposure vaccination.”
What should you do if you find a bat outside your home?
“If you see a bat alone in a tree during the day, or on the ground, it’s probably sick or injured,” Jeannie says. “Don’t touch it. Just call your local wildlife rescue group for help.”
If it’s on the ground and safe to approach, she suggests gently containing it until rescuers arrive. “Place a box, laundry basket or towel over the bat to stop it from climbing up a tree or being attacked by birds. If it’s caught on barbed wire or in fruit netting, cover it with a towel and wait for help. Never try to cut it free yourself.”
She also notes that some bats tangled on powerlines may still be alive, or have a baby clinging under their wing.
Can you legally move bats away?
Removing bats from your yard isn’t always necessary and in most cases, it’s not legal. “All bats in Australia are protected, and some species are listed as vulnerable or endangered,” Sue says.
“There’s no risk if you live near a bat roost,” says Jeannie. “They’re nocturnal foragers and generally only visit at night.”
To gently discourage them from staying too close, she suggests a few simple changes. “Plant fruiting trees away from the house, keep pets indoors at night, and use wildlife-safe netting. If microbats have entered your roof or walls, seal off access points and install a bat box nearby as an alternative.”
How to support bats (safely)
If you’d like to help bats thrive in your area without inviting them into your home, there are safe ways to do so.
“Create a bat-friendly environment,” Jeannie says. “Plant appropriate food trees, install microbat boxes and reduce pesticide use.”
She also recommends switching to wildlife-friendly netting, especially around fruit trees. “The weave must be small engough that you cannot get your finger through it,” she says.
In times of drought, jeannie says, “hang tubs of chopped fruit and water in trees.” And if you can, Volunteer or donate to your local bat rescue organisation.
Do bats ever attack people?
“No,” Jeannie says. “Bats see us as giant predators. They’re timid creatures and want nothing to do with us.”
If a bat appears to swoop, it’s not being aggressive. “When bats lose airspeed, they need to swoop to gain lift again,” she explains. “They’re not attacking, they’re just trying to fly.”
And as for the old rumour that bats get stuck in your hair? Sue says “that’s an old wives tale.”
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