A Whole Week for Bats? They've Earned It.
October 24–31, 2026
This story is sponsored by Bat BnB. We received product and/or payment to facilitate content. All opinions are our own. Brands don’t pack those for us.
Every October, we decorate our homes with bats. We hang them from ceilings, stick them in windows, and make them look like tiny vampires with terrible intentions.
Meanwhile, the actual bats are outside minding their business, eating insects, supporting ecosystems, and wondering what they ever did to deserve this reputation.
Okay, probably not that last part.
But bats really do deserve better PR. And Bat Week, October 24–31, is the perfect excuse to give them some.
What's So Great About Bats, Anyway?
Quite a lot, actually.
There are more than 1,450 bat species around the world, making up roughly one-fifth of all mammal species. They're also the only mammals capable of true flight. Sorry, flying squirrels. Gliding doesn't count.
And bats have some pretty impressive résumés.
They're natural pest control. Insect-eating bats consume enormous numbers of moths, beetles, mosquitoes, and agricultural pests. Their nighttime appetites help protect crops and reduce pressure to use chemical pesticides.
They're pollinators. In tropical and desert ecosystems, nectar-feeding bats pollinate important plants, including agaves, cacti, and several food crops. So yes, bats deserve some credit for tequila.
They're forest builders. Fruit-eating bats spread seeds across landscapes, helping forests and other habitats regenerate.
They're doing important work while most of us are asleep. No applause, no benefits package, and frankly, a questionable public image.
Unfortunately, bats are also in trouble.
Habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, and disturbances to roosting sites threaten bat populations worldwide. In North America, white-nose syndrome, a devastating fungal disease, has killed millions of bats since it was discovered in 2006.
And because many bat species produce just one pup each year, recovering from population losses isn't easy.
The good news? Helping bats doesn't require a biology degree, a big property, or a dramatic lifestyle overhaul.
In fact, you can start in your own backyard.
Six Ways to Be a Better Neighbor to Bats
1. Put down the pesticides
This might be one of the biggest favors you can do for bats.
Insects are food for many North American bats. When we indiscriminately spray our yards, we reduce the food available to them and other wildlife.
Try tolerating a few more bugs, choosing targeted pest-management methods when necessary, and letting natural predators do their jobs.
A healthy backyard is not necessarily a bug-free backyard.
2. Plant native plants
Think of native plants as the foundation of a very good neighborhood.
They support native insects, including the moths and other nighttime fliers that bats eat.
Choose a variety of locally native flowers, shrubs, and trees that support insects throughout the growing season. Leave some leaves and natural habitat where practical, too.
You don't need to turn your entire yard into a meadow. A small native planting can help support the food web.
3. Turn down the lights
Bats have been navigating darkness for millions of years. They don't need us to light the runway.
Artificial light changes the behavior of insects and can disrupt the feeding and movement of some bat species.
Turn off unnecessary outdoor lighting, use motion sensors or timers, and choose warm, shielded fixtures that direct light downward.
Bonus: You'll also be helping migrating birds, fireflies, and other nighttime wildlife.
4. Protect their existing homes
Not every bat lives in a cave.
Many North American species roost in tree cavities, under loose bark, and in other sheltered spaces.
Where it's safe, leave standing dead trees and mature trees that provide wildlife habitat. Avoid disturbing known roosts, and never enter closed caves or mines that protect hibernating bats.
If bats have moved into your attic, don't seal them inside or attempt to relocate them yourself. Humane exclusion needs to be timed carefully to avoid trapping flightless pups.
5. Give them room to drink, fly, and be wild
Bats need water, safe travel corridors, and places to hunt.
Protect existing ponds, streams, and natural vegetation. If you maintain a water feature, keep it clean and prevent stagnant water from becoming a mosquito nursery.
Keep pets away from roosting or grounded bats. Never pick up a bat with bare hands. If someone may have had physical contact with a bat, seek medical or public-health guidance promptly.
And one more thing: You don't need to touch wildlife to appreciate it. Watching bats swoop overhead at dusk is pretty wonderful all by itself.
6. Consider adding a bat house
A properly designed and installed bat house can provide valuable roosting habitat, particularly where natural roost sites are limited.
But here's something important: Not all bat houses are good bat houses.
Design, ventilation, temperature, materials, and placement all matter. A poorly designed or overheated house can put bats at risk.
Look for research-informed designs, appropriate ventilation, rough interior surfaces, and enough space for bats to roost comfortably.
Mounting usually works best on a building or pole, well above the ground with clear flight access. Sun exposure and house color should be appropriate for your region's climate.
And be patient. Bats don't book their accommodations on your schedule. Sometimes it takes several seasons for a colony to move in, and occupancy is never guaranteed.
A Better Bat House (and 15% Off for Field Trip Readers!)
Use code FIELDTRIP at checkout for 15% off your purchase.
We're proud to partner with BatBnB, a company creating thoughtfully designed bat houses that are both functional for wildlife and attractive enough that you'll actually want one on your property.
BatBnB worked with renowned bat conservationist Merlin Tuttle to develop its designs. Their houses use features such as multiple roosting chambers, textured interiors for gripping, and ventilation to help meet bats' needs.
We also introduced Field Trip readers to the people behind the company in our People Who Give a Damn interview with BatBnB co-founders Chris and Harrison.
If you've been considering a bat house, this is a good place to start researching your options.
And if a new bat house isn't in your budget? That's perfectly fine. Native plants, fewer pesticides, and darker nights matter, too.
Want the Full Bat Chat? We've Got a Guide for That.
There's a lot more to living alongside bats than choosing a place for them to sleep.
What happens when one gets inside your house? How do you safely encourage an attic colony to relocate? What makes a good bat house, and where should you put it?
We put together a free guide that answers those questions and plenty more.
It's packed with practical tips, bat facts, humane coexistence advice, and guidance for creating a backyard that welcomes wildlife.
Whether you're ready to become a bat landlord or simply want to understand those little silhouettes fluttering overhead, it's a great place to start.
We're Going Batty All Week. Come Along!
We're celebrating Bat Week on Field Trip's social channels with bat facts, myth-busting, conservation tips, and reasons to give these much-maligned mammals a little more love.
Follow @explorefieldtrip on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation using #BatWeek.
And here's a little assignment for you:
Pick one thing this week that could make your yard, neighborhood, or community friendlier to bats. Plant something native. Change an outdoor light. Learn about your local bat species. Share something interesting with a neighbor.
Or simply head outside at dusk, look up, and appreciate the little creatures keeping the night shift running.
Halloween may belong to the monsters.
But Bat Week belongs to the real bats.
And we think they're pretty spectacular.
Our founder, Kayt Myers, is a volunteer DarkSky International Advocate.
This story is sponsored by Bat BnB. We received product and/or payment to facilitate content. All opinions are our own. Brands don’t pack those for us.
This story is part of The 89 Percent Project, an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now.
