We at the Nest love our furry, flying insect controllers. During the start of the year we receive a lot of calls from our neighbors reporting these small flying mammals resting in odd places. The reason has a lot to do with the weather and the metabolic rates of the animal itself. Bats are tiny, active little powerhouses, expending large amounts of energy while flying. With fluctuations in food sources, a limited capacity to store fat, and changes in temperatures, they are likely to enter a state called "torpor." It's the bodies way of temporarily shutting down and running on "auxiliary power," so to speak, to conserve energy. When bats are in this state, the body temperature will drop substantially and the metabolic rate slows to conserve energy. That's why you will sometimes observe them hanging in odd places, on ceilings, above doorways, on overhangs, etc. We have received and taken in a record number of calls on all species of bats this winter. Most just needed some warmth, fluids, food, and a good release day temperature and then off they went! They are simply conserving their resources in response to food availability and the temperature around them. If you see a bat hanging in an odd place, chances are they are fine and will move on if left alone. If you suspect something just isn't right however, please give us a call as we are always ready to "fly- by" and assess. And as always we encourage you to enjoy our amazing wildlife responsibly.