Bat flying around in kitchen

[Brocakat]

Originally Posted by OBG

Hi,

I have caught it and placed it inside a small cardboard box.OBG

I'd be interested to know how you caught it, as they
have radar & you most probablly have had - a net?

[OBG]

It settled on top of one of the kitchen cupboards. I got a tea towel and snook up on it, quickly threw the towel over the top of it and gently picked it up.

It proved less difficult than i imagined.

I must admit i nearly jumped out of my skin when i first went into the kitchen and saw it flying around.

OBG

[turkeyneck]

I've had this same dilemma on a few occasions.
Once after a night out I walked into the living room to see a bat doing circuits around the ceiling light, he was going some, in fact I think this bat thought he was at Brands Hatch or something. He wasn't planning on stopping, so I bided my time and as he went past me down the finishing straight I whipped out my moth net, he came right round the final bend to cross the finish in to my net.
Once I went into my spare bedroom without turning the light on and heard a high pitched squeeking as I trod (barefooted) on a bat. The bat was ok I hasten to add.
Not doing very good at treading on things barefooted, trod on a bee in the living room this Halloween, the first time I've ever been stung in my life, can still see the puncture mark now, took ages for the swelling to go down

[minkhunter]

Open the window and turn out the light, shut the door then go and watch telly for a bit. Usually works. We get them coming now and then and the wife HATES them, sadly!

[nightshade]

I was reading some of my notes, and I found a mention of bats appearing indoors in an older house which turned out to have a roost and the bats warmed up when the central heating went on then went "walkabout" perhaps
this is the case here?

[OBG]

Its not an old house (20 yrs) but i am wondering if the bat did come from inside the house. There is an opening in the kitchen from the loft that contains some central heating pipes.

I have been in the loft with a torch but could not see any other bats.

They could get into the loft because there are three air bricks on the roof ridge.

OBG

[Dogghound]

Its not uncommon for the long eared species to roost in modern houses during the winter, these often roost alone. Although they are quite distinctive due to their large ears. I suspect your loft is where it did come from, regardless of the species.