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?

Alun

They're a protected species, so you can't just 'get rid of them'. See reply in "Animals / Pet Issues".

rooferPete

Hi,

Not only can you not get rid of them you better look after them, I believe the penalties make no TV licence look like a joke topic.

Regarding the noise they are usually very quiet and communicate at a very high pitch, of course there are different breeds / types.

I do know that it is against the law to even repair a roof without first having the Society out to make sure the bats will not disturbed.

.

kadman

They are harmless, very clean and will not land in your hair, causing you to get it all cut off.:D

We had a large roost in the cavity walls of an extension, that was open during the winter. They decide to hibernate there. Around this time of the year they started to pop up out of the unfinished cavities, under the floor boards, and into the kids bedroom. 27 in one night.

We contacted the society, and the professor ( batwoman) in dublin. learnt alot about them. We had about 400. Used to watch them leaving the cavities at dusk to head out over the hedges to a nearby lake. We were not allowed to remove them. they left around september to hibernate for the winter. They have to hibernate in a very damp area, so thet their wings do not dry out. If you find a young bat in , or outside the house, leave it on the window cill, and the rest of the colony will return it to the roost. Amazing creatures.

kadman:)

rooferPete

Hi Kadman,

I have met the Lady and she is very helpful when asked any question she was able to answer in English considering all the Latin names I came across when looking for info on the net she could have blinded us with science.

I would not like to be the one to annoy any member of the Society, AFAIK many are working on a voluntary basis to help dispel the myths and save the critters.

.

Desmo

rooferPete wrote:

Hi Kadman,

I have met the Lady and she is very helpful when asked any question she was able to answer in English considering all the Latin names I came across when looking for info on the net she could have blinded us with science.

I would not like to be the one to annoy any member of the Society, AFAIK many are working on a voluntary basis to help dispel the myths and save the critters.

.

I have to say that it heartens me to hear a roofer that likes bats.
When I was a kid in Marino (darkest northside housing estate; now desireable; was just houses in dem days) there were sparrows and bats nesting all over the place. The sparrows nested in gaps in tiles (those big orange ceramic yokes) and holes in soffits and things and the bats nested in big old houses and ruins. They were both very common; you could hear and see bats all over the estate. Now, both have become much scarcer. We are due to get our facia and soffits done soon and I intend putting in nest boxes for sparrows after that (on wall of house, under roof overhang).

BTW That batwoman is cool; I know her from work.

Des