Bats in Houses Information Leaflet

There are 10 different species of bats in Ireland, some very rare, others still quite widespread. The species most usually found in houses in Ireland are the common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and the brown long-eared bat.

Bats pose no threat to you or your home.  In fact, bats and people have been sharing buildings for centuries.

• Bats do not spread disease
• Bats do not chew cables or wood
• Bats are not blind
• Bats do not get caught in your hair
• Bats do not bring nesting material into houses
• Bats are more closely related to humans than to mice

Pregnant females gather in maternity roosts to have their babies in summer, and this is the time they are most likely to be seen using buildings. Mother bats have only one baby a year, suckling it for several weeks. Females from a wide catchment area come together and give birth in these roosts. Disturbance, or the use of chemicals at such roosts, can have a knock on impact on bat populations for miles around.
The bats disperse from the summer roost as the young begin to fly and feed themselves; all the bats will usually have departed by the end of September.

Bats do occasionally roost in houses in winter, but as they hibernate and are normally in small numbers, they are difficult to see.

How do I know if I have bats?

Bat droppings will accumulate under areas regularly used by bats. These can be easily distinguished from mouse droppings. Bat droppings are dark brown or black, 4-8 mm long and, as they are made up of insect fragments, will crumble to powder when pressed. Bat droppings make great compost!

Living with bats

Here are some ideas for ensuring happy co-habitation with your bats:

● Ensure that your water tank is covered.
● Place a polythene sheet on the attic floor where bat droppings regularly accumulate and gather up at the end of the season. Bat droppings are dry and easily swept up. They make great compost !
● Ensure that the attic door is not left open to prevent bats flying into the living space of the building.

Bats will only enter your living space accidentally. Common reasons are that bats mistake an open window for a roost entrance, or follow an insect through an open window. In some instances young bats exploring their roost will squeeze down through cracks around piping from an attic.

An online video showing how to safely catch and release a bat from your home can be watched here: http://www.corkcountybatgroup.ie/page/injured-bats

Bats and the law

Because populations of most species have declined in past decades, all bats have been protected by Irish law since 1976. Bats and their roosts are also protected by European law.

A new freefone helpline to deal with queries about bats has been launched by the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

This service has been set up in response to a growing interest in bats and in particular to advise homeowners on how to manage bat roosts in their houses.

The Bat Helpline freefone number is 1800 405 000. For more information, please select the following link:

Bats in Houses Leaflet

Free copies can be ordered from:
Species Protection Unit,
NPWS,
Ballybay,
Co. Monaghan.