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Bats in the belfry?
If this works, you should be able to see some insect remains on the following photo:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchman/80174481/ They were on the floor of an almost deserted Norfolk church, last July. I have explained there the circumstances, repeated here:- *********************** The problem was that the church is only opened for a service once a month. And the doors and windows are kept shut. (There are damp problems leading to sad deterioration of the fabric.) So the question is, how do butterflies and moths get in? Careful inspections revealed one or two broken panes of glass (very small), so I can't see the insects flying into a darkened church. My only conclusion is that bats, living inside the church, actually bring them back to their roosts - or possibly nurseries - and drop the inedible bits on the floor. Our visit was only for 45 minutes, so couldn't stake out the place to see if my theory was correct. and would be interested in comments on my conclusions. *********************** Thanks Mike [The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting] -- Michael J Davis <>< Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused the meaning of "discussion" with "digression". <>< |
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Re: Bats in the belfry?
Michael J Davis wrote...
> > If this works, you should be able to see some insect remains on the > following photo:- > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchman/80174481/ > > They were on the floor of an almost deserted Norfolk church, last July. > > I have explained there the circumstances, repeated here:- > > *********************** > > The problem was that the church is only opened for a service once a month. > And the doors and windows are kept shut. (There are damp problems leading > to sad deterioration of the fabric.) So the question is, how do > butterflies and moths get in? > > Careful inspections revealed one or two broken panes of glass (very > small), so I can't see the insects flying into a darkened church. My only > conclusion is that bats, living inside the church, actually bring them > back to their roosts - or possibly nurseries - and drop the inedible bits > on the floor. > > Our visit was only for 45 minutes, so couldn't stake out the place to see > if my theory was correct. > and would be interested in comments on my conclusions. Accumulations of discarded insect remains can be due to brown long-eared bats. They will normally be found under a favourite feeding perch - typically under the apex of a roof. You would expect to find droppings in the same location, which are similar to rodent droppings but crumble when pinched between finger and thumb once dry, unlike rodent droppings which dry rock-hard. Incidentally, whilst bats are common in church buildings they are almost never found in belfries! David |
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Re: Bats in the belfry?
David Lee <davidlee_malvern@dont.use.this.bit.hotmail.com> observed
>Michael J Davis wrote... >> >> If this works, you should be able to see some insect remains on the >> following photo:- >> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchman/80174481/ >> >> They were on the floor of an almost deserted Norfolk church, last July. >> >> I have explained there the circumstances, repeated here:- >> >> *********************** >> >> The problem was that the church is only opened for a service once a month. >> And the doors and windows are kept shut. (There are damp problems leading >> to sad deterioration of the fabric.) So the question is, how do >> butterflies and moths get in? >> >> Careful inspections revealed one or two broken panes of glass (very >> small), so I can't see the insects flying into a darkened church. My only >> conclusion is that bats, living inside the church, actually bring them >> back to their roosts - or possibly nurseries - and drop the inedible bits >> on the floor. >> >> Our visit was only for 45 minutes, so couldn't stake out the place to see >> if my theory was correct. >> and would be interested in comments on my conclusions. > >Accumulations of discarded insect remains can be due to brown long-eared >bats. They will normally be found under a favourite feeding perch - >typically under the apex of a roof. You would expect to find droppings in >the same location, which are similar to rodent droppings but crumble when >pinched between finger and thumb once dry, unlike rodent droppings which dry >rock-hard. Thank you for that David - yes they were under the apex of the chancel. I looked for droppings (I am an ex-pest controller!!) but didn't notice any. But the key to your comment is 'feeding perch' - I had certainly scanned the ridge beam for bats and saw none. Much appreciated. Brown long eared? Well, I didn't have the bat detector with me at the time. Pity, but the wrong time of day. If you don't object, I'd like to add your reply to that site. >Incidentally, whilst bats are common in church buildings they are almost >never found in belfries! You know that, I know that, but it made a good subject. Many thanks for your help! Mike [The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting] -- Michael J Davis <>< Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused the meaning of "discussion" with "digression". <>< |
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Re: Bats in the belfry?
Michael J Davis wrote...
>>Accumulations of discarded insect remains can be due to brown long-eared >>bats. They will normally be found under a favourite feeding perch - >>typically under the apex of a roof. You would expect to find droppings in >>the same location, which are similar to rodent droppings but crumble when >>pinched between finger and thumb once dry, unlike rodent droppings which >>dry >>rock-hard. > > Thank you for that David - yes they were under the apex of the chancel. I > looked for droppings (I am an ex-pest controller!!) but didn't notice any. > But the key to your comment is 'feeding perch' - I had certainly scanned > the ridge beam for bats and saw none. Whilst they hang upside down from favourite perches they also roost in cracks and crevices so a bat could well be tucked away somewhere less obvious during the day. > Much appreciated. Brown long eared? Well, I didn't have the bat detector > with me at the time. Pity, but the wrong time of day. Probably wouldn't have helped even if you had been there when a BLE was flying - they are also called "whispering bats" for good reason. They have been known to pass within a few feet of a detector without registering a squeak! They really do have huge ears and can often locate prey passively from the noises of their own movement without using echolocation. > If you don't object, I'd like to add your reply to that site. Fine. The brown long eared (Plecotus auritus) is Britains second most common bat species (after the common/soprano pipistrelle) and is found all over the UK - except Orkney & Shetland. There is also another very similar species, the grey long eared (P. austriacus) - but it is very rare in Britain and only found in southern England so you wouldn't expect to see it in Norfolk. Cheers David |
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Re: Bats in the belfry?
David Lee <davidlee_malvern@dont.use.this.bit.hotmail.com> observed
>Michael J Davis wrote... >>>Accumulations of discarded insect remains can be due to brown long-eared >>>bats. They will normally be found under a favourite feeding perch - >>>typically under the apex of a roof. You would expect to find droppings in >>>the same location, which are similar to rodent droppings but crumble when >>>pinched between finger and thumb once dry, unlike rodent droppings which >>>dry >>>rock-hard. >> >> Thank you for that David - yes they were under the apex of the chancel. I >> looked for droppings (I am an ex-pest controller!!) but didn't notice any. >> But the key to your comment is 'feeding perch' - I had certainly scanned >> the ridge beam for bats and saw none. >Whilst they hang upside down from favourite perches they also roost in >cracks and crevices so a bat could well be tucked away somewhere less >obvious during the day. > >> Much appreciated. Brown long eared? Well, I didn't have the bat detector >> with me at the time. Pity, but the wrong time of day. >Probably wouldn't have helped even if you had been there when a BLE was >flying - they are also called "whispering bats" for good reason. They have >been known to pass within a few feet of a detector without registering a >squeak! They really do have huge ears and can often locate prey passively >from the noises of their own movement without using echolocation. > >> If you don't object, I'd like to add your reply to that site. >Fine. > >The brown long eared (Plecotus auritus) is Britains second most common bat >species (after the common/soprano pipistrelle) and is found all over the >UK - except Orkney & Shetland. There is also another very similar species, >the grey long eared (P. austriacus) - but it is very rare in Britain and >only found in southern England so you wouldn't expect to see it in Norfolk. Thanks again. We are trying to learn our bats but always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!! Mike [The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting] -- Michael J Davis <>< Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused the meaning of "discussion" with "digression". <>< |
