Bat is a very common nocturnal animal that can often fly in dusks and nights. As they are less seen in daylight, it is not unlikely of you to wonder whether bats prefer lights in the night.
Let’s find out if bats are attracted to different types of lights.
Are bats attracted to light?
Bats are not attracted to lights. Their eyes are not well adapted to lights. That means they can see and prefer to remain in a dark area. However, they tend to avoid any space filled with bright lights. Bats usually cannot tolerate the lights of both sources, natural or artificial.
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In general, bats do not like bright light sources. But there are other sources of light available too. Whether bats are drawn to different types of lights, as follows –
Infrared light:
Bats cannot see infrared rays. Infrared lights have a longer wavelength than visible lights.
However, bats cannot tolerate bright light as it causes irritation in the eyes. But as they cannot see infrared light, they do not respond to it. So, neither infrared light attracts bats nor makes them turn away.
UV light:
Ultra Violet lights have shorter wavelengths and attract insects. Bats like eating insects.
As a result, bats are often seen near UV light areas. It’s because they like to consume those insects. BUT UV lights do not attract bats. In fact, bats are not fond of any kinds of lights, including UV lights.
Led light:
LED lights are a bright source of light. As the study suggests, bats do not like bright lights at night; even they avoid deem lights.
Moreover, bats do not see correctly in lights. They prefer living in darker areas. At night they prefer avoiding brighter LED lights.
Red light:
Bats are drawn to red lights, unlike any other lights. The study suggests migratory bats prefer red lights.
Especially, scientists have found in several studies that red lights attract bats. It is often described that collisions happen in the red signal by speedy bats.
Blue light:
Bats do not like blue lights at night. As studies show, it causes eye discomfort.
Porchlight:
Many homeowners keep bright porch lights to keep bats away. Although this is a great way to discourage bats from entering your premises, bats are not the only nocturnal animal you should be worried about. And it causes great electricity bills as well.
Fruit bats are most common in populated areas. They prefer eating fruits from gardens. But, like other bats, they are also non-active in daylight.
Fruit bats are only seen at night. And as they are not attracted to lights, they are less likely to visit gardens with bright lighting.
Why do bats not like light?
Bat can not see properly in bright light. As a result, they choose to stay in darker spaces. It is because they are more comfortable seeing in the dark.
A light area might be filled with predators, and they might face unwanted circumstances. So, a place filled with light has the potential where a bat may face a hostile situation. That means, for predator avoidance, bats usually avoid lights.
Are bats attracted to dark?
Unlike many popular beliefs, bats aren’t blind. They can see as any other animal. But their eyes are not well adaptive towards bright lights. Thus, bats prefer living in darker areas.
Bats would avoid lights in every possible way. If space is filled with either bright lights or dull lights, a bat will likely be preventing that space. Also, they are shy of both natural light sources and artificial light sources.
What are bats attracted to?
Bats are nocturnal animals. They are usually active during the night and sleep during the day. But bats can be seen active in darker spaces, even on days.
In other words, bats operate in the dark. Their eyes are made non-adaptive to light. They cannot see well in lights.
Apart from darkness, here’s what attracts bats
Fruits:
Bats like to eat fruits. In fact, they are mostly seen in fruit gardens at night to satisfy their appetite. And many garden owners’ complaints about their gardens being ruined by bats.
Sealed spaces:
Bats prefer sealed spaces where little air passes. Unlike other animals, they prefer living in sealed spaces with few light sources.
Waterbodies:
Another thing that attracts bats is water-bound areas. Bats can be seen flying and roaming around lakes and ponds as they find many foods there.
How do bats react to light
Bat has a unique eye setting that does not function appropriately in bright lights. Although they can see with their eyes, they prefer living in dark places where light is unavailable and can see properly.
However, if exposed to bright lights, it causes severe irritation to their eyes. They cannot see properly, and due to fear, they try screaming and fly away from light.
Are bats scared of light?
Bats cannot see well in lights. That makes them vulnerable to getting struck by predators, and they can lose their self-defense. As a result, they avoid bright lights.
Also, in an inhospitable situation, such as bright light, the bat feels uncomfortable as their eyes hurt and go through irritation. So, bats are reactive to lights.
Do bats like or avoid bright light?
Bats do not like bright lights. Even in deem lights, bats do not feel hospitable. As their eyes are not adjustable to lights, they feel irritation in their eyes, so bats tend to avoid bright lights.
Birds can see better in the dark, which leads them to live in darker spaces. And they are most active at night. They are hardly seen flying during the day.
Bats avoid both natural light and light from artificial sources. Also, bats avoid both bright and deem light sources.
Can bats see in the light?
Many believe that bats cannot see. Bats have eyes that can see during nights, and their vision is impaired in lights. So, it can be said they can see in the light, but they prefer to stay in darks spaces as they are most comfortable there.
Bats are not blind animals. They can see, and they choose to avoid light. This nocturnal animal is not blind to light.
Do bats fly around and toward lights at night?
Bats are not fond of light. They try to avoid light sources and lighten areas by all means. They do not fly in daylight and can only be seen at night.
But at night, many electric sources of light produce light that attracts insects. And bats are fond of insects. So, you can see them flying around to eat insects.
Will keeping lights on in the attic keep bats away?
Keeping lights on is a great way to keep bats away from attics. But for that, you have to keep lights on for 24 hours, which will cost you heavy electricity.
If using bright lights, these will be more likely to be deterring bats from entering your garden, porch, or attic.
How to keep bats away from your house?
Apart from causing a disturbance, bats are the key source of causing rabies. They produce a lot of waste and can turn important and less-visited parts of your home into their accommodation.
To keep good health and protect your home from unwanted guests, you can follow these steps-
Identify the entry:
If bats enter your home, you should first identify their entrance. You should look for openings such as windows, wall-holes, chimneys, etc.
If you cannot find it from the outside, look for the entrances from the inside. Bats can enter through smaller openings and gaps. You must leave no possible fractures unnoticed.
Seal the opening:
If there are any gaps, you must seal them. But before doing so, you must ensure your attic or house is free from bats. Otherwise, entrapped bats will create a lot more mess.
You can deal with it after ensuring that your house has no bats in it. At first, go with the most common entry points such as covering the vents, installing leads on chimneys, etc. Find all the cracks and gaps in the home, fill them up, and ensure there is no entry.
Light up your attic and porch:
It is not uncommon for the bats to visit your patio at night or make residence in your attic. You may use bright lights to prevent their access.
But lights can attract insects and other animals. Also, lights will cost you a heavy electricity bill.
Final thoughts
Bats are not attracted to lights of any sort. Their eyes are not well adapted to lights. That means they can see and prefer to remain in a dark area. However, they tend to avoid any space filled with bright lights. Both sources of lights – natural or artificial; bats usually cannot tolerate them.