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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 9:35 pm Post subject: Gone batty |
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Found out this evening that I have a colony of bats in the attic. Counted 42 of them leaving the tiniest hole in the fascia at dusk. So what with swallows in my workshop and starlings on the other gable end in behind a fascia too it is becoming a right sanctuary here lately. Dam bats are protected species too so now what do I do?
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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enjoy the fact that you have bats?
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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Why? First cousins of rats. Doesn't their waste be high in ammonia? They are in a part of the roof that cannot be accessed, a hole in a wall will have to be broke through just to see how may thousands are in there. They are over the kitchen. I could hear them crawling, thought it was rodents.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 7:57 am Post subject: |
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unlike rats, they will not be crawling through your walls or kitchen cabinets chewing through wires or your food.
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Wes Rank attained: Hazel Tree


Joined: 13 Feb 2014 Posts: 38 Location: Dublin
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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No I hadn't seen that leaflet, thanks Wes, it was an interesting read. I didn't know that they were seasonal, should be gone by end of September. I was reading a couple of websites and found out that they can get through a hole 15 * 20mm, a knot hole would suffice at that rate. The hole that they are getting in here is tiny, must get a ladder out tomorrow and measure it and try and get a photo of them too if they are to be found. My main concern is the build up of faeces and the smell if one should die.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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OK I went up the rickety ladder today to see the size of the hole, couldn't believe it - 30 * 15mm at most, use finger as a scale. They are getting in at the end of the timber, between that and the blockwork of the chimney.
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_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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A good "Mouser" of a cat left up "accidentally" into the attic might change the situation.
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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Are you following me around tonight Kindred Spirit?
They are tucked away in the soffit at almost the highest point with a double block wall for protection so it would want to be some cat. Protected species anyway, cannot do anything to endanger them. You have your lizard and I have my bats.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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tunnelsofhens10 Rank attained: Rowan Tree


Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 146 Location: Longford
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 12:35 am Post subject: bats |
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Block the bloody hole tagwez.
_________________ A good gardener is not greenfingers, its brown knees. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 1:38 am Post subject: |
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"Protected species". They will be gone by October, I will block it then.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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tippben Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 921 Location: north tipperary
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 4:24 am Post subject: |
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They are definitely Pipistrelles. Blocking the hole in October is the right way to go. Please could you report the roost to http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/index.php as it may help with conservation work.
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 7:44 am Post subject: |
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I was thinking about doing that anyway Tippben as I think it is a 'must do' for people that care. Ten varieties in Ireland and you sound very confident. I will see if I can get up to the attic today and get a photo but I think that is unlikely if they are where I think they are. Maybe they are not so bad to have around. 3000 insects a night each I read somewhere. Hard to believe.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 10:00 am Post subject: |
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Think of how many midges a hungry bat would eat!
I'm convinced that midges' only reason for existence is to provide bats with take-away suppers.
Bring on more bats, I say!
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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kindredspirit wrote: | A good "Mouser" of a cat left up "accidentally" into the attic might change the situation. |
ah here. i'd be chuffed to have bats in the attic. no call for this sort of stuff.
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