Going Batty in Udon

[polehawk]

Maybe this topic should be under Udon Nightlife but has anybody had experience in dealing with a bat (flying rodents) invasion here?

At least a dozen bats have taken up daytime residence under our roof tile ends and I'm studying ways to get rid of them. Kind of a weird but surreal enjoyment in watching them launch from under the tiles just before it gets dark, I must admit. Our dogs have killed at least four of them at nighttime that I know about, so far, but they don't seem interested in trying to knock these low-flying varmints out of the air anymore. My concern is the possibility of these flying rats carrying rabies, fleas, ticks, etc.

Did some reading on the internet and learned some things about bats that I never knew or even thought about. For example, it is claimed that there is no repellent that actually works against them. Moth balls will have no effect and will be ignored, it says. Ultra-sound devices are a waste of money. Blind as a bat is a myth, it read, they can actually spot tiny insects which they devour all night long. I thought about using loud firecrackers but that would probably only end up damaging the roof tiles. Looked at Faroh Pest Control's (a sponsor) website but no mention of bats. Might be giving them a call but thought I might first see if the Udon-ites here are bonafide bat-ophiles and can suggest a way to encourage the bats to move on to another cave.

Also, the wife's nephew wants a crack at them and is bringing some humongous nets which he plans on setting up against the house with some long bamboo poles. Says he will make a tasty bat laap out of them and guarantees they won't be returning. I have my doubts about that one (nephew and bat taste).

How about it? Any Batmen out there?

[macduff]

If you can get smoke bombs over in Thai i recommend you use them. Here in the UK i did a similar trial with squirrels in a loft space. We lit the smoke device and sure enough they abandoned there makeshift home and never returned. The smoke bombs I'm talking about are to test chimney flues for gas appliances to see if they pull adequately. Just a thought.

[747man]

Send for Batman AND Robin

[bugseda]

I have never dealt with bats and I do not know how your roof access is, but I Googled it and came up with the following...

From Google:

Position several people around the perimeter of the house at dusk to note bats' exit sites as they emerge to search for food. It usually takes about an hour for all bats to leave a building.

Step2
Search the exit sites for holes 3/8 inch wide or larger.

Step3
Plug all but one of these holes with sheet metal, caulk, wood or fiberglass insulation.

Step4
Cut a panel of 1/2-inch bird netting to cover the last hole. The panel should extend a few inches above and 2 feet below and on either side of the hole.

Step5
Attach the sheet at the top only, with staples or duct tape, leaving the sides and bottom unattached. If any bats remain in your structure, they'll be able to fly out this hole but not back in.

Step6
Watch for several nights to see whether any more bats come out.

Step7
Once no more bats are observed exiting from the building, remove the bird netting and seal the last hole.

Step8
Contact your local animal control agency for extreme or persistent bat problems, and ask about bat removal services----end

-----Seems to me what they are saying is to somehow cover the holes after they take the evening flight.

[polehawk]

Thanks for the replies, so far, guys. =D>

Macduff, the area where they are exiting isn't enclosed so not sure if smoking them out will work but will keep it in mind.

747man, they're not answering the Batphone but will keep trying.

Bugseda, some good ideas there. Watched this evening for about 15 minutes and FIFTEEN of the little buggers exited from an area under the roof tiles that is about 2 to 3 meters long. They're squeezing into some very small holes so plugging those up does seem to be the ticket. When I googled, it said to be sure you get all bats to exit because if they die in the holes then they will stink to high heavens like a dead rat inside a wall so will have to be careful.

Didn't really want to upset the environmental balance out here in paddyland by killing off so many bats since they do help control the insect population. Really wouldn't mind it much if we only had 1 or 2 hanging around.

[macduff]

As long as you've identified there point of entry,smoking them will make sure they leave. I would use expanding foam if it's available and short squirt only.The foam will expand very rapidly.You can then trim off the access after 8 hours with an hacksaw blade. If i was there I'd do it for you.If there's no foam available use clear silicone if the holes are not to big.

[arjay]

Polehawk, In the Uk bats are protected, but here where they are not, I would be inclined to get rid of all of them if you can. Otherwise they are going to breed as well as drop increasing amounts of guano (key).

Here's a Google search link:-

http://www.google.co.th/search?q=Should ... =firefox-a

This one is particularly good and makes the point about them leaving behind droppings and urine.

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/972474


Mod Note: Some subsequent off-topic posts removed.

[polehawk]

Thanks for the additional info, guys. Macduff, blocking the entry holes does still appear to be the best way of dealing with it. Using screening until you're sure they're gone and then plugging up the holes. Some very informative links, Arjay. A bat eats its weight in mossies and insects every night. Amazing. Can see why the UK protects them.

Will take a closer look in daylight but looks like the end tiles where the bats are getting in don't have screens while all the way around the house do have them. Hope so. An easier fix would be to replace some end tiles.

[laphanphon]

call the ex groundskeeper, and he'll come with a long pole with thin spike at end, matter of fact, may still be at house. stab, remove from roof area, fire up BBQ, and flavor with spices to taste. that's what he did on their eviction. guessing back corner of outdoor patio, look for droppings in the future, look same as rat's, big surprise. i had put a piece of regular screen for window, loosely on in past, after exit, worked fine, then in rainy season, it seems to be to hot for them, as they don't come back, chased them twice in 7 yrs. also near front porch rain spout, but once gone, never came back. been a while since they were there last, couple years. keeps the mozzies at bay

good luck

[ting_tong]

forget about all the expensive ways, and silly approaches

this is how I did it:

I saved up many plastic bags , and either used the small ones as a whole piece, or got the big C bags and cut them in 1/2

I got a long pole, attached a bamboo skewer with a piece of tape as a stopper so the bag could only go 1 inch onto the stick.

I sort of rolled up the bags, then stuffed up the holes and the bats do not return, they moved to my neighbors house and crap on thier tiles. You need to leave 1 last hole open so the bats can escape, then after dusk, plug it.

I have no bats, mai mee kee kan kow

[polehawk]

More useful advice. Thanks, guys.

Took another look this morning and see lots of holes/gaps under the tiles so might try stuffing the plastic bags inside them as ting_tong suggested. Don't know if the expanding foam is available here but will look around at Global, Homepro, etc. If not, filling the holes with steel wool sounds like a plausible idea, too.

LA, that back corner patio area was taken over by birds. We cleared out a lot of nests a few weeks ago when we were painting. Probably will make that area a priority with the blocking of holes or the bats will be coming back in there. Right now they're congregated in the front just to the right of that rain spout. Anyway, it's good to know that this invasion is a cyclical migration. If the nephew can't move them out of there with his fish nets I'll give the ex-groundskeeper a call.

First time the dogs knocked one of the bats out of the sky I put the carcass in a jar and rushed it to our vet to maybe get it tested for rabies. The lady vet just laughed it off and told me to keep the dog's shots up-to-date. Thankfully, the dogs have lost interest in taking down the hard to catch critters.

[papaguido]

Ron,

Expanding foam available for sure I've seen it, think it was at Global.

[laphanphon]

yes, noticed the bird nest in back corner, must be a segregated neighborhood. that's why maybe didn't see them in front, droppings don't stand out as on concrete pad. must of came back this cool season, didn't notice any flying about while stargazing. used to watch them from sala, thinking close to house, till saw droppings and realized the communal living arrangement. good luck blocking them out

[polehawk]

Rito, thanks. I'll try Global first then. Have used the stuff to fill in wood in the past and sounds like it would work here.

Haven't noticed stench from bat guano or urine so guessing they must have taken up residence more recently. Time to evict them or not?

I didn't know:

Bats are not rodents but are mammals, the only known species of mammal that can fly. Scientists believe that they are more closely related to primates. The so-called flying squirrel, a rodent, actually glides through the air.

Bats are gentle, non-aggressive creatures who usually will only bite in self-defense.

Bats can live for 20 years or more.

Bat females usually give birth to one pup a year.

A single little brown bat can catch more than 1000 mosquitoes in one hour.

There are nearly 1000 species of bats worldwide. The smallest, the bumblebee bat, weighs less than a penny. One of the largest, Lyle's flying fox, has a wing span of nearly six feet.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=bat+fa ... 8&fp_ip=TH

[polehawk]

LA, now that I think about it they may have moved in because of the floodlights on the walls that I leave on all night. These, of course, attract the insects and sets the table for the bats. Maybe we should leave the lights turned off? Nah, better to have some bats flying around than some two-legged varmint climbing the wall. Although that would provide our dogbeasts with some new playtoy entertainment in the dark.

[laphanphon]

i wasn't an easy task to get past the wall before, now they better have a cherry picker and rope ladder.

if they get in, they sure aren't carrying anything out.

[polehawk]

Cherry picker? Easier pickings than here, no doubt. Occasionally throw a cherry bomb out the backdoor. Neighbors think we're packing guns now.

We did get some night-time visitors (no, not bats) last month. Maybe another story for another thread but no harm, no foul.

[macduff]

How did you go on with evicting the unwanted guests polhawk?

[polehawk]

A work in progress, Macduff. Nephew put up black fish nets (3m x 10m) and we caught five the first night but only one since then although 2 or 3 chewed their way out of the net traps. Watched tonight and didn't see any leaving so guessing (hoping) we chased the rest away. Left escape hole for them. Found three different types of the expanding foam at Tool Pro so we're in the process of plugging up the holes.

No report from the nephew yet on how he cooked the bats. Also hoping he doesn't bring some for me to "sim". :-&

Thanks for all of the tips, guys.

[beer monkey]

Best route of action was to go with the nephew polehawk,they know best at times and they get a tasty meal too.

(i did say this last week..twice, but it got deleted for some reason.. ) still .. worked out well in the end.