Bats

Batman, at Your Service

Fans of Dracula movies will appreciate Ireland’s zero-tolerance policy toward bat bashers. Bats are a protected species here, which may create a knotty pest-control problem when you’re trying to banish them from your home.

In 1976, Irish authorities recognised that bat numbers were dwindling, and all species received protection under the Wildlife Act. Since then, the Bern and Bonn Conventions—two international wildlife laws designed to protect bats from extinction—have been ratified.

Bat populations have been declining for several reasons: lack of roosts, pesticide poisoning, habitat destruction and fewer insects on which to prey. The Conventions impose lofty fines for killing, harming or even disturbing the roost of any bat species, ranging from €200 to €5,000. If more than one bat is affected, the fine is often imposed at €5,000 per bat. In some areas of the UK, offenders may face prison time.

Some readers may wonder what the fuss is about. We have been taught to fear and abhor bats, even though accounts of bloodsucking vampires have been relegated to lore. There’s just something forbidding—seemingly a global mindset—about these furry black mammals that feed in the dark. In truth, bats are relatively harmless.
The “vampire bats” Dracula made so popular exist only in Mexico, South America and Central America —one of more than 800 bat species, and hardly the mythic monsters most of us assume them to be.

While some bats may carry the rabies virus, they avoid interacting with humans, and disease transmission is a rarity. Because they do not bite or chew, bats do no structural damage to buildings they inhabit. They are actually beneficial, feeding on garden insects and maintaining our ecosystem.

Undeniably, you’re likely to be startled when a wayward bat enters your home. The detour is usually accidental or simply a pit stop on the way to finding a permanent home for daytime sleep. Female bats may stumble into attics when seeking a nursery. They bear one pup each spring, and a warm loft can seem like an ideal place to roost until the baby can fend for itself. This, in fact, is how many homeowners discover there’s a bat in the “belfry”: They hear a pup calling to its mother.


The key to dealing with bats is prevention. They usually enter homes after dusk through open windows, doors, chimneys, vents, and cracks under eaves and around pipes. They can squeeze through an opening as small as 5 millimeters, so employ barrier precautions. Luckily, since bats don’t chew their way into your home, you can use simple screens, mastic or duct tape to create a bat-free zone. If a bat does show up, your first response should be to turn on all of the lights and open all windows to encourage it to leave. Most bats will oblige, unless they are sick. Many such occurrences involve young bats that are first learning to fly and have veered off course. If the problem persists, or you are dealing with more than one bat, you’ll need to consult a professional pest-control specialist, who can remove the interlopers while adhering to conservation laws.

Use common sense: Any amateur attempt to shoo away a bat may provoke a bite if the animal is spooked—and he’s more afraid of you than you are of him. A Pest Control Professional will also deal with bat guano (faeces), which is usually harmless, but has the potential to transmit histoplasmosis, a lung condition that mimics pneumonia.

Most importantly, do  not  use pesticides to kill bats. This is illegal. Mothballs, loud music and ultrasonic pest repellents are ineffective, so call a professional and get it right the first time.

For more information check out Bat Conservation Ireland Call 0917 94435 for more info.

Comments

[trish moloney]

we had some dead bats in our attic in the water tank. just wondering how harmfull is that and is there a risk of rabies.
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Hi, we don't have rabies in Ireland (thankfully), so your tank is rabies free. You are at a low risk from any cotamination as we do not drink water from the tank. Remove the bats, drain the tank and refill. Thats all.
Thanks for your query
Tom, Emergency Pest control Ireland

[Shannon]

Hi, I have bats in the back and front of my house. The leave droppings everywhere and you can hear them in the walls. One night I counted over a hundred of them flying out in 20 minutes. I have had them for at least three years and had a pest control officer come to the house. He said there is nothing he could but wait until they leave and fill in the holes. Will this work? Will they try to get into the houses another way? I really need help thanks!
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Hi - thanks for your bats enquiry.
Yes, the advice your pest control officer has given sounds reasonable, however has he told you when they will leave? This could be the tricky bit. You should first check with www.batconservationireland.org

They say; Where bat roosts are known to occur on a development, the National Parks and Wildlife Service or a trained bat worker should be contacted for advice. It is an offence under the Wildlife Act (1976 & 2000) to intentionally disturb, kill or injure a bat or its resting place, so any work must be carried out with advice and under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Bats are protected so are not considered a pest.

Tom, Emergency Pest Control Ireland

[Tom, Emergency pest control]

Yikes Deirdre, I can smell the ammonia from here.
You need to get in touch with your local county council and ask for the wildlife officer. No pest control company will be able to help as bats are a protected species for reasons of extinction.
If your wildlife officer is not able to help, give me a call on 1890 25100
Hope this helps
Tom, Emergency Pest Control

[Peter]

How do I get rid of bats from my house. Is there an extermination company that offer a service. I am in Galway. There is bat droppings all over the place
P

[Tom, emergency Pest]

Hi Deirdre
bats are a an endangered species in Ireland and are not considered pests. You should contact the Wildlife Service or www.batconservationireland.org/ for information. The smell is probably ammonia caused by the bat urine.

[Deirdre]

My attic is full of bats. there is a terrible small all over the house from them. i desperately need help to get them out of the house.