Urgent - Bat Worries

[DaveBrigg]

I've just looked over my shoulder and seen a bat roosting in the hallway. It's mouse-sized, and clinging to a sheer plaster wall (unpainted!). What do I do? It can't have come from the roof, because it has just been completely stripped, and had no evidence of winged visitors. I know that we shouldn't disturb bats, them being protected and all, but I can't imagine it will get much to eat or be able to find its way out. (unless it's brave enough to take on the field mouse under the floorboards) What do I do??

 

[middi]

Tell the RSPB to help out.

( tell them you are rather fond of bat soup, they will respond quicker)

 

[biffvernon]

Just leave the window open. These strangely warm times will have woken bats from their semi-hibernation.

Get in touch with http://www.bats.org.uk/index.asp if it's still there in the morning.

 

[skier-hughes]

I think English Nature should also be able to help you. We contacted them as we have bats flying around and they sent someone to come and do a survey and check to see if we had bats in our loft before we started work.

Do you think it may be that the work in the loft has forced him out?

The normal small bat, pipistrelle, lives in small confined spaces, not hanging from rafters in open view.

http://www.yptenc.org.uk/docs/factsheets/animal_facts/pipistrelle_bat.html

Graham

 

[Flyfisher]

I think English Nature should also be able to help you. We contacted them as we have bats flying around and they sent someone to come and do a survey and check to see if we had bats in our loft before we started work.

But what happens if they find there is a bat colony in the attic? Will they arrange to relocate them or just slap a restraining order on you to leave them alone. Isn't it an offence to disturb bat colonies?

 

[skier-hughes]

They will arrange to move them at the best time for the bats, if the work is neccessary and can't be done with them in situ.
They will advise on the types of materials to use if you can do the work with them there.
As it is an offence to disturb them they can use the full force of the law to enforce their wishes.

The inspectors are all volunteers, and our guy was really nice, showed us hwo to check for them, what droppings are like from the various ones, told us about the lifestyles, feeding and sleeping habits etc and gave us lots of info, which I can't find at the moment.
He stayed here about 4 hours and into the darkness and we then watched the bats flying round as he used his monitor to check for them and to tell us which sort we had here, pipistrelle and long eared.

Without further investigation he thought that the bats probably roosted in one of the many barns, quieter than a house and came out to feed over the moat adn streams.

He sends a report back to English Nature advising on the next course of action, in our case it was none apart from a written report saying no evidence of bats was found in the house.

Graham

 

[Craig]

over the moat and streams.

Skier - is your castle big?

 

[skier-hughes]

Not very, but the moat is a real proper one dating back to the 700's and doesn't half help to keep out those nastie smellie townies :lol: :lol:

You can see some pictures in my blog here
http://msmvps.com/blogs/berrybrookblog/Default.aspx

Graham

 

[SW]

My parents have the same problem. They have pipistrelle bats in their attic and they often find their way into the main house. Its usually through a window that was open at dusk or down the chimney and through the fireplace where there is some chimney stack re-pointing still to be done.

They do what Biff suggested and leave the window open. The bats seem to find their way home!

 

[Penners]

I'm frequently told I have bats in my belfry.

Well, someone had to say it.

 

[DaveBrigg]

Thanks for the ideas. I found the bat conservation site but couldn't register on the forum. We had a magical moment when our 3 yr old came downstairs for a cup of milk, and still half asleep was taken to see the special visitor. His eyes lit up when he realised that it was sleeping upside down, just like the one on Bear In The Big Blue House. Then he thought it must be a baby because it was so small, and was most concerned about where its mummy and daddy were.
In the end I half followed Biff's advice and left all the internal doors open (there are no windows in the hall, and it was nearly freezing outside!). In the morning it was gone, and I noticed that the drowsy butterfly at the bottom of the stairs had also vanished :? Luckily there were no claw marks on the plaster, or I might have introduced him to a bat of my own. I don't think we have got bats in the attic (at least there didn't seem to be any when the roof was stripped), and the chimneys all have baskets, so how it got in and where it went are a mystery. It's nice to think that the house is welcoming though.

 

[Penners]

the chimneys all have baskets

Have you checked the size of the mesh? Some bats are very small (as you've discovered).

 

[skier-hughes]

Like mice they can squeeze through the smallest of gaps, pips can get through something like 15mm.

Graham