Bat of the Day!

Biomotors · #1 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 08:01 AM

...or should that be Night??

I was working at my desk at 2am the other night when I saw something flash silently past my office door. Look who it was!

I know the picture is out of focus, but I'm just so excited about seeing these chaps on "moth patrol" in our house, you wouldn't believe it. What a privilege to share our living space with such fantastic animals!

Who can tell me what kind they are?

All the best,
Dominic

stevecn · #2 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 08:07 AM

simply wow, lucky you!

The Woodman · #3 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 08:08 AM

They look like brown long-eared bats to me, Plecotus auritus.

The one flying towards you has its ears angled hence the pointed appearance rather than the normal round topped ear view.

Biomotors · #4 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 08:18 AM

Wow! That was quick. Thanks Woodman!

Dominic

Ukwildlifeo · #5 (**permalink**) 26-09-2010, 07:25 PM

Nice! Certainly look like long eared bats!

Deb London · #6 (**permalink**) 26-09-2010, 07:38 PM

How blummin' wonderful!

brendaward · #7 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 01:56 PM

We have bats in our roof. Do the droppings stain ceilings as I have a few discoloured spots on the ceilings upstairs? If they do could we lay some paper down over the insulation, to be periodically changed? The roof is not leaking and there is no vermin activity in the loft space.

The Woodman · #8 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 02:24 PM

They shouldn't do if they remain dry. You say the roof doesn't leak so there's no problem there. The only way the droppings might stain the ceiling plaster is by urine either getting directly to the plaster by way of leaching through a pile of droppings. All depends on how many droppings and how many bats.
Droppings can be hoovered up at the end of the season when bats have vacated the roost and gone into hibernation.

Once ceiling plaster is contaminated, it is very difficult to seal it with successive layers of emulsion - it always seems to leach through in the end.

Yes, put a barrier between the bat roost and the insulation. I wouldn't advice impermeable plastic sheet as it almost always causes urine to pool and therefore take longer to evaporate. Use old sheets or the fleecy garden membrane, some material that will allow the liquid to soak in and by capillary action it will evaporate quicker.

You could give your local Natural England office or Batline a call on 0845 1300 228 and a trained licenced volunteer could pay you a visit to asess the situation. It's all free. It's important to get some good advice as well intentioned work in an area where bats are roosting at the wrong time of year can cause them to desert a roost and maybe abandon their babies.

brendaward · #9 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 05:03 PM

We had specialists out when we moved in to inspect to see it it was a roost as there were bat droppings. We needed to have the roof sprayed for woodworm so this was all checked before the work was done. Your advice has helped a lot as it could be historic bats urine marks coming through. We will try the old fashioned gloss paint emulsion over trick and if that does not work will try another sealant on the ceiling. Roughly when do they hibernate? If we need to go into the roof to make any checks when would be the best time to do it without disturbing any bats that may be still there? I have not seen so many about since we had a lot of insulation put in by the gas board. I hope this is only because the roof space would not be so warm now!
Will give the number a ring if we have any problems.
Thanks for your valuable advice, BB

The Woodman · #10 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 05:33 PM

Despite a cold night or two with some even colder wind recently, last night was quite mild in Cumbria. I was watching soprano pipistrelles and small Myotis bats last night and the same this morning at dawn.

It really depends on how the weather affects them now, they could go into hibernation from at any time from now onwards. It'll depend on where abouts you are in the country to a degree as well.

Do you recall what species of bat you have? If you have had a secondary layer of insulation laid, I would have thought that urine wouldn't have got through.

They will not hibernate in the same roosts they use during the summer. There's always an exception to the rule though.

My general concern is that by insulating to a higher level, the favoured warm conditions that bats like to use especially for their summer nursery roosts may have affected their tenancy as you say. The downside is that this could be determined as disturbance - and without knowing any more facts I would not venture to offer an opinion.

If you know where they roost and it is possible to have a peek without disturbing them in any way, that will determine their presence. When they go, that's the time to get in the loft for a check.

I was at a house two weeks ago that hosted a huge seasonal pipistrelle roost above the bathroom - where it's warm. The bats entered the roof at eaves level and travelled to the ridge between the felt and plasterboard in the gap made by the rafters. I'll show you the marks on the plasterboard ceiling tomorrow when I'm on t'other computer.