For the last fortnight I haven't been able to go to bed without having to shoo one or more bats out through the window. Big and brave, me, when confronted with bats outdoors, even as they swoop at head height and at top speed as they leave the roost under the eaves.Somehow, as you remove a shoe and hop about on one leg and start to wrestle your head out of the day's t-shirt, bats whirring past your nut is not quite as appealing.
The other day three of the toothed and winged beasties circled gaily over the bed, dropping neat pellets of batshit as they went. Lovely.
Yesterday, this long eared bat was found dead. If you can tell me whether that's a grey or a brown long eared bat, I'd be most grateful. It looks like a grey-brown bat to me.
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12 comments:
No idea, I'm afraid - but do be careful. Apparently, in some areas in the UK now, bats carry rabies.
Maybe you'd better check with your local bat experts?
Going "bats in the bedroom" can be rather sexy if your partner is on the same batty wavelength. By the way that is definitely a grey long-eared. The tendrils on the wings are the clear giveaway.
I hope this bat did not die in vain as bats are quite delicious when roasted in a medium oven with perhaps a sliced onion and a little paprika. Mmmmmm...
Jay - I thought the rabies thing was a myth - will check that out,
YP - a bat expert too! Sadly, bluebottles had already laid eggs on the poor dead beast, so he wasn't put in the sacrificial Aga. Any way, barely two mouthfuls.
Perhaps you could install a belfry on your new barn to divert them
WW - we have! But they like the heat from the Aga, and roost next to the chimney.
Sadly not a myth, Mopsa, it's on the DEFRA site. There has been one death - a Scottish bat worker.
Daubenton's Bat seems to be the carrier species, and it's a form of rabies known as European Bat Lyssavirus (EBLV). It's just worth being aware of it. ;)
Ooh Jay, yes, but most recent occurrence of rabies in bats seems to have been in 2004 and according to DEFRA the Scottish guy died in 2002, but yes, caution required.
think I'd better ask batman.
Whatever colour it is, it is soooooooo cute.
Rosiero - I think you may be in the minority there (and nought wrong with that) - spawn of the devil is the more usual response!
Batman says - firstly - "Umm, jolly good photo"
But it's apparently very difficult to tell the two species apart - he needs measurements - that of the forearm and the tragus http://www.uksafari.com/tragus.htm also the colour of the fur when parted.
He thinks it would most probably be the brown as the grey is pretty rare.
Thank you Batman. I don't think I can lay my paws on the corpse now, so we'll never know for sure. If I find another I'll bring it over toot sweet.
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