At a condo complex in Painesville, Ohio, one homeowner said ordinary summer days gave way to a troubling nightly scene: after dark, bats began streaming from the roofline above residents' homes and the area where children play.
Homeowner Shelby Seyler told WJW that the issue at Cambridge Condominiums became a potential health concern for the families who live there, not just an unsettling nuisance.
Here's what to know
Seyler, 29, a mother of two, contacted the homeowners association after bats began coming out of the roofline above the homes and children's play area.
She explained that the infestation continued to worsen despite reports to the HOA and Barnett Management, which WJW identified as the property manager on Mentor Avenue.
In early August, Seyler's concern intensified when a bat got into her children's bedroom.
"[That] night around 8 o'clock, around the same time we normally see them outside, they came into the house last night into their bedroom. And they have a bunk bed and he's on the top bunk screaming and there's a bat flying all around the room," she noted.
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Seyler also shared photos showing dead baby bats on the driveway and bat droppings outside windows.
She asserted that the problem raises concerns beyond the mess because of possible exposure — the Lake County General Health District considers bats among Ohio's primary rabies carriers.
Environmental Health Supervisor Bert Mechenbier emphasized the risk.
"We've submitted 20 bats to the Ohio Department of Health this calendar year already for testing because of exposures in houses. One was rabid a few weeks ago," he admitted.
More background
While bats play an important ecological role, including helping control insect populations, they can pose a serious concern when they roost inside or directly above living spaces.
These types of encounters can also be attributed in part to human activity.
Buildings, rooflines, and other structures can provide attractive shelter for wild animals, while development can increase the likelihood of close contact between people and wildlife.
As the BBC detailed in coverage of increased wildlife encounters, human expansion and environmental disruption can drive more of these tense interactions.
Mechenbier warned that any possible exposure should be taken seriously, even though only a small share of bats carry the virus.
What's being done?
Varment Guard confirmed it was already working at the property under an agreement with management.
"A technician was performing contracted work at the property on August 4, and the building featured in the report had already been scheduled for service that same week," the company said in a statement.
Barnett Management maintained that it knew about the issue and was seeking a quote from a nearby exterminator to add bat valves throughout the 16-acre property's buildings.
That work would also require HOA board approval, though a spokesperson said the company hoped it could move forward quickly.
Health officials also gave guidance for residents dealing with a bat indoors.
"We would recommend that they speak with their primary health care physician if the bat was found inside the house and not able to be captured or tested," Mechenbier commented.
"It's gonna be their personal decision and their doctors' advice. Bats that are found outside — if they're just acting like normal bats, I wouldn't be overly concerned."
"It's a community health concern," Seyler said. "It's more than just us. It's everybody in here."
Where can I learn more?
Reports from other communities show how quickly a bat sighting at home can become a public health concern. These stories cover rabid bats inside homes and public facilities, as well as unusual bat behavior scientists are tracking.
• In Snohomish County, a rabid bat flew into a home, sending three residents for treatment.
• Across San Diego County, rabid bats are turning up at the Zoo and Safari Park.
• In Germany, bats are entering hibernation earlier, a shift scientists say warrants attention.
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