Should I worry about bats flying into me while I'm walking my dogs?

Question

They seem to fly awfully close and sometimes I worry.

I've read that the local bats in my area are Little Brown Myotis bats, are they any danger to me or my dogs while we're on our walks?

Answer 1

They will never run into you.  They have excellent echolocation and flying skills.  They come close to take a look.

Ever tried throwing rocks at bats?  It's amazing how often you will "almost hit" one.  They see the rock flying and come over to investigate.  No chance of a collision.

They eat bugs, not people or dogs, so don't worry.

But if you see a sick or dead one, it's prudent to leave it alone.

Answer 2

No. Those bats won't attack or bite at you. They just flying low.  I walked through a bunch of them the other day and they definately fly right over head and in front of my face. I would wear a hat if I were you because when they fly that low they can bump into your head or face.  Maybe Trixie knows Batman or something.  

Answer 3

don't worry about them.  they are eating bugs that you are stirring up as you walk.

Answer 4

No - bats emit a high pitch sound (we can't hear it) and the sound bounces off the objects around it and sends the vibrations back to the bat. It's called sonar. The only reason the bats are flying so close to you is probably because there are insects hovering near your head.

They only want the bugs - they won't run into you (or your dog) or get tangled in your hair.

Answer 5

Bats are super-wonderful creatures.  Myotis and even other bats in your area are NOT dangerous to you.  They are extremely beneficial in helping control the insect populations of the world.  They eat "tons" of insects every single night.  Can you imagine just how many insects that is?  They feed on Gnats, Flies, Moths, Mosquitoes, and others.

When you take your walk you are probably walking under some  street lights which attract bugs.  The bugs attract the bats which feed on them.  If the bat gets near  you, it's probably because there are some Mosquitoes about to bite you and it wants to relieve you of the problem.  

When my wife and I worked on a film about bats, we stood at the entrance of a cave and when the bats came out at dusk, there were so many of them that several landed on my wife.  One on her head and another on her shoulder.  She just laughed and watched the little guys use her as a launch platform as they took off into the air again.

Bats are gentle, sweet little animals and should be protected at all times.  They have suffered under the hands of man for many, many years because of fear, superstition, and just plain stupidity.  

If you want to know more, just email me anytime.

Answer 6

No. Bats never fly into anything - their echolocation is superb. They can fly through a wood without touching a twig. They can even 'see' a spider's web with sound, and not only that, they can tell which side of the web the spider is sitting. There is no way they would accidentally blunder into you or your dogs - it is a myth that bats fly into and get tangled in people's hair. The only species of bat that poses any sort of danger is the vampire bat of South America, and this is only because it sometimes carries rabies, which is then transmitted to anything it bites. Vampire bats, as the name suggests, feed on blood, but the tiny amount they take is harmless unless, as I said, the bat is rabid.