Bats can be found in nearly every habitat of Virginia with 17 species documented in Virginia.
Most of these 17 bat species are present in Virginia year round. The most common types of bats are little brown bats and big brown bats. These two bats are also the most common bats seen in homes attics, church belfries, warehouses and other buildings.
Bats are one of Virginia's most environmentaly benfeficial mammals. They primarily feed on insects and can ingest up to 1,000 mosquitoes or pests an hour. This is what makes them an essential part of the environment. Some of the more common pest they feed on include moths, wasps, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes and midges.
In 2012 there were over 4 million bats that lived in Virginia and only one half of a percent of all these bats were rabies carriers. It is a common misconception that all bats carry rabies. In addition, rabid bats are seldom aggressive and attack people. According to the CDC there are only 3-4 cases of rabies in humans per year, but most are associated with a bat.
Another misconception about bats are that they are blind, although they cannot see in color they are not blind. Bats actually have better night vision than people. They do forage for food using echolocation. This process allows them to emit sounds into the environment then use these echoes to locate and identify objects.
