Subject: Re: need help with control of bats

From: [email-masked] (Allyn Weaks)
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 1995 19:24:15 -0700

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Sakheim) wrote:

> My father-in-law owns a dairy and tobacco farm in Massachusetts. He was
> wondering if anyone knows a way to rid a tobacco barn of bats. Someone
> suggested sealing it off, but that is very impractical. Does anyone have
> any good ideas for bat control?

What real problems are they causing?  Just the guano?  If so, set up bat
houses not too far from the barn where the guano won't matter (makes good
fertilizer), then after you're sure that the young are old enough for the
move (determine the species and find out about their breeding cycle),
block all entryways with netting in such a way that they can get out but
not back in again.  Then keep your fingers crossed and hope that they
accept the bat houses as an alternative rather than leaving the area
altogether.

Bats are valuable critters, and eat a huge quantity of insects, including
mosquitos (up to 600/hour/bat).  They are also becoming endangered in many
areas, and are certainly worthy of some care and consideration.

Bat Conservation International has a growing Web site at:

http://www.batcon.org/

and there are enough pointers there for you to find out how to identify
your bat species and determine their needs before taking drastic actions
that you may regret later.
-- 
Allyn Weaks
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Sakheim)
Date: 3 Aug 1995 19:22:17 -0400

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From: [email-masked] (MARCIEROSE)
Date: 6 Aug 1995 20:37:51 -0400

Agree about bat usfulness.  Are your bats sheltering during the day or
moving around at night?  If they're moving in the barn, it's because you
have bugs in there - looks like dinner to them.  If they're sheltering,
there must be a source of food near by.  Did someone seal up an old mine
or cave in your area in the last year?   If so, chances are they were
forced to relocate once aleady.  

Check the web page for moving techniques.  Another tactic might be to hang
chees cloth between your bats and your t'baccy.  It will let the air
circulate and keep the guano off the crop.  And, you'd still have a great
mosquito control
[email-masked]