Bats in Soffit

Just The One

I think there are bats in the soffit... is there anything that can be done to get rid of them? They are making an awful lot of noise... do bats sometimes sound like birds... a kind of whistle noise?

JimmySmith

Just The One wrote:

I think there are bats in the soffit... is there anything that can be done to get rid of them? They are making an awful lot of noise... do bats sometimes sound like birds... a kind of whistle noise?

Sounds like bats alright. Or it could be just birds.
One thing though, if its bats dont tell anyone about it. Bats are protected and if the authorities find out you will just have to live with them in your attic or face a huge fine.

Alun

Bats in Ireland are a protected species under EU law, and you can't just "get rid of them".

2.4 LEGAL PROTECTION OF BATS

Bats are protected by the Council Directive of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora [Habitats Directive], by the Wildlife Act (1976) and Wildlife Amendment Bill (1999).

All bat species are listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive. Article 12 (1) of the Directive states :-

Member states shall take the requisite measures to establish a system of strict protection for the animal species listed in Annex IV (a) in their natural range, prohibiting:

all forms of deliberate capture or killing of specimens of these species in the wild;

deliberate disturbance of these species, particularly during the period of breeding, rearing, hibernation and migration;

deliberate destruction or taking of eggs from the wild;

deterioration or destruction of breeding sites or resting places.

Article 12 (4) states:-

Member states shall establish a system to monitor the incidental capture and killing of the animal species listed in Annex IV (a). In light of the information gathered, Member States shall take further research or conservation measures as required to ensure that incidental capture and killing does not have a significant negative impact on the species concerned.

Bats are protected by Section 23 of the Wildlife Act (1976). The Act is currently being amended as it is proposed to strengthen the protection given to species such as bats. The Explanatory Memorandum of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 1999 states that:-

"This amendment considerably enhances the level of protection contained in the principal Act in that the exemption which provides that it is not an offence to destroy a breeding place of a protected wild animal in the course of construction or other work is qualified by the introduction of the term 'unintentional'. The amendment also provides protection for the resting places of such animals and thereby seeks to ensure, in particular, that bat roosts and other similar resting places are not unlawfully disturbed".

Ireland is also a signatory of the European Convention on the Conservation of Bats.

Just The One

Alun wrote:

Bats in Ireland are a protected species under EU law, and you can't just "get rid of them".

Can they be encouraged to leave? How long do they stick around for? Should they not be hibernating at this time of year?

JimmySmith

Told you

They will stay there forever and will only multiply. You are not allowed to do anything to encourage them to leave whatsoever.

In fact you may even be required to close off your attic so you dont disturb them.

Alun

Once established, they return to the same place year after year AFAIK. My in-laws had them in her house for years. They do hibernate, but by early spring the female bats are currently looking for nesting sites.

See http://www.enfo.ie/leaflets/bs30.htm for some more info, and some addresses of agencies that may be able to give you more information.

I don't think they ever had any trouble from them, and never heard a squeak from them. In fact, the first they knew about having them was when some bat researchers knocked on her door, asking if they could set up some kind of device in her eaves to count the number of bats leaving and entering her attic, that's how unobtrusive they were. Whch makes me wonder whether it's in fact birds, not bats.

JimmySmith

Bats do make sounds, but not so much as should bother you.
If you go outside your house about 15 minutes before it gets dark you should see them flooding out of the eaves if its bats. Quiet cool to watch.

Just The One

Alun wrote:

Once established, they return to the same place year after year AFAIK. My in-laws had them in her house for years. They do hibernate, but by early spring the female bats are currently looking for nesting sites.

See http://www.enfo.ie/leaflets/bs30.htm for some more info, and some addresses of agencies that may be able to give you more information.

I don't think they ever had any trouble from them, and never heard a squeak from them. In fact, the first they knew about having them was when some bat researchers knocked on her door, asking if they could set up some kind of device in her eaves to count the number of bats leaving and entering her attic, that's how unobtrusive they were. Whch makes me wonder whether it's in fact birds, not bats.

I think it is bats rather than birds as I would think you would see the birds flying in and out and see bird droppings around the place and it was about 9 or 10 last night when we heard it.

Alun

JimmySmith wrote:

If you go outside your house about 15 minutes before it gets dark you should see them flooding out of the eaves if its bats. Quiet cool to watch.

I was going to say that too ... as long as they're not bothering you it'd be quite interesting, especially if you have kids who'd be fascinated by something like that. Waiting for the baby bats to leave the nest and start flying and all that.

MR DAZ

We had bats in the home house in donegal a few years ago....they dont make much noise to be honest ...but ...they **** everywhere...and i mean everywhere!!!..in the end we encouraged them to leave.

Also i know your not allowed to disturb them..but in fairness they destroyed our attic...and if you can picture this ...meself and the ole fellow in the attic wearing helmots to protect our heads..cos apparently they go for your hair..

me armed with a t square and him with a fishing net....we knocked them into the fishing net and then set them free once we got outside.

BTW we had boarded up where they where getting in first.

We had a right ole laugh about it later.;)

Nala

Bats do not get into your hair, that's a stupid old wives tale.

JimmySmith

Nala wrote:

Bats do not get into your hair, that's a stupid old wives tale.

Was about to say the same thing

Sigma Force

As said they are protected contact the bat society for information on how to encourage them to leave.

Try this number, they have bats in the area they should know more.
Education Centre
Telephone: +353-404-45656
Fax: +353-404-45710


The Park's education programme is run from Bolger's Cottage at the Upper Lake in Glendalough. The Centre is open from Monday to Friday during office hours.

JimmySmith

One thing though
If you are set on encourageing them to leave call noone.