OMG!!! I think we hve a long eared bat!!!

[Nicos]

Just been checking rain damage resulting from heavy rain...and just spotted what we think is a long eared bat in our barn/utility room!!!
Will check tomorrow!!! ( clearly too wet to fly...fingers crossed I don't need a better glasses prescription!!!)

[RedThorn]

beep shoulda gone to spec saver's lol if possible pics please!

[Flummery]

Wow! I hope you have. They are great - the local church has them. They are protected - just as well because the ladies who clean the church aren't best pleased!

[Nicos]

Yup- got a piccie...just need OH to work out how to reduce the size of the piccie
I could e-mail it to someone to post though!

[Jeanied]

Right!! (Shuffling through bat leaflets) 'long eared bats spend more time inside the roof space thatn other bats' - sounds like you are lucky. Look for accumulations of droppings (very dry, just insect husks- mice droppings squish where bat droppings turn to dust) They start hibernating in November- tucked into hollow walls etc - usually in small numbers - it is very susceptible to pesticides! PM me for any more of the leaflet! I am v jealous as long eareds are declining.

[RedThorn]

pm'd you

[Nicos]

Fantastic!!!!..I've zoomed in on the piccie- and it's certainly a long eared bat on it's own just under the slates of the roof.
no droppings at the moment- but it may have just arrived!..what do they feed on???

[Jeanied]

They eat moths, beetles, flies, bugs,earwigs and spiders. And they are absolute stars. Have known bats in captivity kept alive on mealworms (but those were pips - no experience of long ears as they are rarer) It will need a source of water if it is captive.

[Nicos]

There's plenty of water outside after today!!!...we were checking for roof leaks when we spotted it!
Hope I've sent a piccie to RedThorn ( fingers crossed)

It's wild- and I'll do my best to make it feel welcome here- for ever!

[Jeanied]

You never know you may have set up a new quarters - they like to roost in colonies of between 10-20! But that's the girls! Winter roosts- caves, tunnels, mines, old ice-houses, trees and 'buildings' - best PM me as i'm just typing up the leaflet for you! It would be easier to post!

[RedThorn]

Pic as promised

[Jax]

WOW I have to say Im jealous. We had some flying around our garden last winter and the bat people came out to check if they were living in our attic and they bring a few with them incase people are afraid in an effort to educate and I have to say they were proper cute. I dont usually like that sort of thing but they were really cute.

[Jeanied]

If it is female it needs to be part of a colony as the girls all roost together. The males have a tough time of it as they tend to be more solitary - though you sometimes you get smaller batchelor roosts. Ain't that just the way!

[Nicos]

Pic as promised

Thanks!!..tis a bit tiny up there!!!

[RedThorn]

lol Nicos lol but it's there and you did promise a pic