I think bats are great,unless they are in your house. I understand your fear!
Our first home was 135 years old
, my hubby and I were barely 19. We had a big ole attic and bats got in. He called a fireman friend and the two of them swatted at the bats with badminton rackets.
Now I enjoy watching them swoop down for a drink in the pond after a busy skeeter eating session,,,,outside!!!!!!!
tanya

Oh Micki, what an adventure. I don't think I'd want one swooping at me either. But I bet the poor thing was more terrified of you and was glad to get back outside too.
LOL

hugs, Karen

You are never going to believe this! We got up and had another bat in the house this morning! UGHHHHHHH these things need to stay outside where they belong!

I'm with you. Love them outside hate them inside! What an adventure! When I lived in a very old house they used to get inside. I guess I left the door to the barn open too much. I've never had them here tho I would like a bat house for our treeline.
kathy

Any idea HOW they are getting in??? Maybe they have already set up housekeeping IN your house, so they consider it to be theirs.

Sure hope you can find the way they are getting in your house! I love bats, but out-of-doors for sure! That would have scared the pudding out of me!!

I don't think we have bats, or if we do I don't want to know about it. I would be freaking out!! My 1 experience with bats was in Badlands of So. Dak. We were at a large BarBQ & it was just behind my cousins house maybe 500 ft. They had tables set up & got the fire going & all of a sudden there was a noise & the sunset sky got black as hundreds of bats came out of the caves around this semicircle we were in. By the time I got scared they were gone. Uncle said the fire must have scared them out. I think it was their church group as they had quite a fire . Jan

They used to call me the Bat Woman in college because I wrote a rather long dissertation on the benefits of bats. lol! You better have your attic checked, Micki. A lot of times they are roosting up there and manage to escape into the regular part of the house. That is the most common reason they end up in the house.

I'm assuming it was a little or big brown bat? They are dark in color. The little brown bat is only a few inches long while its bigger brother, the big brown bat, is an inch or 2 longer. They are the two most common bats to roost in and around homes in your area of the country.

The good news? Little and big brown bats migrate in the fall to dwellings like caves and mines. So if they are living in the attic, they will vacate when the temperatures cool. Once they are gone, all you have to do is seal up the openings where they get in. Unlike mice, they don't chew or scratch openings, they just use openings that are already there.

They are wonderful to have around the yard. They consume an awful lot of mosquitoes and moths that can destroy crops. You might want to consider a bat house somewhere in the yard ... maybe a good distance from your house. lol

You were smart to try to catch it with a towel. They can have rabies (but you are more likely to get rabies from a racoon or skunk) so it is important not to get bitten. Their teeth are so small that even people who are bitten don't always seek immediate medical attention because the bite seems so insignificant. When looking for one, always check your shoes too. They seem to like hiding in there.

Good luck and keep us posted on your next bat adventure!