Hundreds of bats have been spotted around Orange in the past week from Cook Park to Ploughmans Lane and in orchards southwest of the city.

Western NSW communicable disease control co-ordinator Priscilla Stanley said it was unsafe for people to touch bats.

She said about a dozen people had been treated in Western NSW, including Orange, in the past year for bat bites and scratches.

“There have been people treated in and around the Orange region for scratches and bites,” she said

“There are definitely bat camps in and around Orange and people need to be aware not to touch them.

Ms Stanley said all types of bats, including both flying foxes and micro-bats carried life-threatening diseases such as Australian bat lyssavirus, a rabies-like virus.

“Australian bat lyssavirus is found in the saliva of infected animals,” she said.

“The virus can only be spread through the bite or scratch of a flying fox or bat.”

Ms Stanley said it could not be spread through contact with bat urine or droppings.

Orchardist Guy Gaeta said bats had damaged 100 cherry trees on his Orange district property in the past week.

“They took every cherry off every tree,” he said on Wednesday.

“They’re coming around, but not in big numbers.”

Mr Gaeta said they normally flew in after 8.30pm but the main group was not reaching his farm.

However, he expected that would change when his cherry crop was ripe within the next few days.

“They’re not going to land on the trees and say hello and goodbye,” he said.

“When they come to your orchard, they come to eat. They are hungry.”

He said that while some people described the bats as cute and cuddly, they carried disease and people should be careful around them.

NSW Farmers executive councillor Reg Kidd said he had seen colonies of bats in both Cook Park and in trees on Ploughmans Lane.

He said the main risk was that if people saw injured bats and tried to help them they could get scratched or bitten.

“Don’t touch them,” Mr Kidd said.

If you find a bat, you are urged to call the NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) on 1300 094 737.

Those who are bitten or scratched should should seek medical help.