bats in the belfry

[phishfearme]

our williams lake cabin was infested with bats - one of the 5 bedrooms had guano all over the beds and floor (as also did larrys's room next to it) - what a mess. the outfitter knows about them and is trying to do somethink short of trying to kill them all (which may or may not be successful) including foaming everywhere (to no avail) and installing a bat house outside. no luck so far.

that's all very well - but - where do these bats go in the winter? they don't/can't migrate, they can't dig significantly and there's no real caves or mines in the area that would protect them from 40degC/F below zero, yet they seem to thrive up in the north land.

anyone know for sure?

thanks,
phish

[5richards]

This certainly could be a health consideration -- read http://voices.yahoo.com/the-hidden-d...no-108570.html for your own edification. I'd want at least a partial refund for the cabin alone!

[tooski]

Holy batcrap 5Rich, that is a disturbing read. I am the building inspector here and I get the occasional call from people with bats in their attic. They are VERY difficult to eradicate. Never thought too much about the side effects till your post...

[tackleman]

on the bright side, bet you didn't have many mosquitoes.

[lassh]

They go to the bat cave boy wonder! I didn't know they thrived that far north. There must be some caves or underground places they winter. The bats in that cabin may be planning to stay.

I had a parasitology professor who did his doctorate on bat parasites. They spent a lot of time crawling around in caves taking guano samples. They wore respirators when around the dung. The biggest danger from bat guano is from a mold that grows in the poo. People can contract histoplasmosis which is a severe respiratory ailment from the fungus that thrives on old bat doo.

I hope the fishing was good. If you or your group notice cold like symptoms, you should get to the doctor to be checked out. The dung probably wasn't there long enough to grow the fungus but to be on safe side, if you notice respiratory prbolems go to a good doc.

[Manitou]

He should put up some bathouses.

[v-bay gord]

Sounds like a match would be the solution to the problem.........

[phishfearme]

[QUOTE=lassh;1459212]They go to the bat cave boy wonder! I didn't know they thrived that far north. There must be some caves or underground places they winter. The bats in that cabin may be planning to stay.

i think this is the answer - there MUST be some caves or underground places where they can winter - and staying in the cabin is not an option as the unheated inside will get almost as cold as the outside. but - did you ever try to dig up in the candian schield? it's all hard rock and not real ameanable to cave formation.

by the way, the guano dried quite rapidly and was easily swept up so i don't think fungus would be an issue. we swept up what was there and left it in a pile on the floor and told pete. he can then judge how fast the buildup is.

they did install bat houses while we were there - be interesting to see if they work - none of mine work here in PA.

phish

[SinOrSwim]

That stinks about your trip. A lot of money and you get one week usually to go to cananda. We had one years ago that was just an awful week all the way around. Were promised a lot of things that never transpired.

I had some bats in a rental property years ago and what a pain in the rear! I was new to rental properties so called a guy who said he was the bat expert and he could get rid of em. Paid him a fair amount of money and all he did was calk the fascia boards and duct tape a window screen to the side of the house. Apparently, this was to let them out but they couldn't get back in. Sort of worked but most couldn't get out and died in there. Stunk like crazy. The issue inside wasn't poop but hte little bat bugs (can't remember what they were called). Small red spider like bugs that bit my tenant.

[LOW1]

[QUOTE=phishfearme;1459389]

Originally Posted by lassh

They go to the bat cave boy wonder! I didn't know they thrived that far north. There must be some caves or underground places they winter. The bats in that cabin may be planning to stay. . .

Perhaps the bats migrate south for the winter? http://www.ojibway.ca/bats.htm