SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon health officials want the public to protect themselves from rabid bats.

Authorities have found five rabid bats since the beginning of 2008.

Bats, which are most active in warm weather, play an important role in the ecosystem, especially in controlling insects at night.

Discover bats

A bat flies through the night.

Oregon bats often eat mosquitoes and can catch over 1,000 tiny insects in an hour.

But they are also often rabies carriers, especially if they are seen during the day or fly into people.

Other mammals in Oregon can be infected with rabies from bats, so health officials recommend vaccinating dogs and cats against rabies.

Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system.

It is almost always fatal once symptoms begin.