Bats - love or loathe them?

JupiterKid

Well do AHers know that much about bats?

I was at a book launch this evening on bats and it seems that there are many common misconceptions about bats. First of all, bats in Ireland primarily eat insects, not human blood. They are also more likely to be found roosting in trees, under bridges or in derelict buildings than in caves.

The new book is fascinating and has certainly educated me about bats.

So do you love or loathe - or know anything much about bats?

Tar.Aldarion

Bat man, begins :eek:


You seem to know a lot about this bat book for a recent bat convert, what's your affiliation with bats?

Sir Arthur Daley

Bats love the bog.

Sir Osis of Liver.

Check out 'Batsphincterlove.'

The Hill Billy

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Bat man, begins :eek:

Tar, you are a bit of a Joker I think.

Sir Arthur Daley

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Tar, you are a bit of a Joker I think.

Never knew horatio Caine was on boards.

JupiterKid

Oh, I've no affiliation with bats at all.:o

Just an interest in wildlife and science/nature generally and the lure of free grub at the book launch was too hard to resist.

But the new book has certainly opened my eyes about bats.

Lalealynn

Don't know a lot about being bats more about being batty.

Lapin

Fruit bats in Africa are believed to be partially responsible for spreading ebola.

So they can fuck right off as far as I'm concerned, the blind bastards.

Lalealynn

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Check out 'Batsphincterlove.'

Googled it .........nothing.

Karl Stein

A common Attic Bat has three rows of teeth, is half-bird half-rat, and can eat up to four kilos of Moths every night.

crockholm

The Barn Owl needs protection in Ireland,beautiful creature.

crockholm

crockholm wrote: »

The Barn Owl needs protection in Ireland,beautiful creature.

Of course,if you had bothered to look at the animal affected you might have noticed that bats are not owls, you dopey retarted bastard:mad:

fleet_admiral

I love them, sadly they are very misunderstood

Sir Osis of Liver.

Lalealynn wrote: »

Googled it .........nothing.

The world is a better place then.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Baby bats are real cuties, we'd one with a damaged wing in the boilerhouse once. Couldn't catch the guy to bring him to a vets, he'd flop away off balance if you got near to him. Furry head on him.

It took three days for him to die. Probably should have killed the poor thing to put it out of it's misery although that's easier said than done obviously. I wouldn't have it in me to end a bats life no matter what the circumstance

Lalealynn

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Baby bats are real cuties, we'd one with a damaged wing in the boilerhouse once. Couldn't catch the guy to bring him to a vets, he'd flop away off balance if you got near to him. Furry head on him.

It took three days for him to die. Probably should have killed the poor thing to put it out of it's misery although that's easier said than done obviously. I wouldn't have it in me to end a bats life no matter what the circumstance

Lalealynn

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

The world is a better place then.

Oooh I dunno though....whose to say....yeah you're probly right

csallmighty

My bats breath smells like batfood

The Backwards Man

Bats are grand as long as they know their place. When you're having to run round the house after one when you're half cut and wrecked, they are loathsome.

Raminahobbin

BATS ARE THE SHIT!

Adorable little heads on them.

FunLover18

Am I the only one shocked that the OP referred to bats drinking human blood as a "common misconception"? Do people really think bats drink blood?

Raminahobbin

FunLover18 wrote: »

Am I the only one shocked that the OP referred to bats drinking human blood as a "common misconception"? Do people really think bats drink blood?

People are idiots, it wouldn't surprise me.

Lalealynn

FunLover18 wrote: »

Am I the only one shocked that the OP referred to bats drinking human blood as a "common misconception"? Do people really think bats drink blood?

No of course not but we like pretending

Menas

I hate them.

When I lived in Canada I woke one night to a bat flying to and fro in my bedroom. Freaked me out....still have nightmares about it.

Adyx

FunLover18 wrote: »

Am I the only one shocked that the OP referred to bats drinking human blood as a "common misconception"? Do people really think bats drink blood?

Raminahobbin wrote: »

People are idiots, it wouldn't surprise me.

Lalealynn wrote: »

No of course not but we like pretending

There's a type of bat found in South America that does feed on blood.

Lapin

Lapin wrote: »

Fruit bats in Africa are believed to be partially responsible for spreading ebola.

So they can fuck right off as far as I'm concerned, the blind bastards.

I think you will find its the people who eat the bats that are partially responsible.

looksee

Wouldn't have thought there was much meat on a bat!

looksee

looksee wrote: »

Wouldn't have thought there was much meat on a bat!

I know, over there it must be like a pork chop though!

Connemara Farmer

They eat midges, therefore I'm all for them.

Remmy

love em.

Shenshen

I like them, there's a few living somewhere around a watertower near the estate, I sometimes see them whizzing about at dusk in summer. I don't see what anyone could have against them.

guest2014

Raminahobbin wrote: »

People are idiots, it wouldn't surprise me.

that reminds me of a guy i know, he was going camping once and told me he was bringing his gun with him in case a mink got into his tent, as they would go straight for your neck and drink all your blood until you are dead, he was dead serious.:(

--LOS--

I think bats are pretty cool, they're like an animal that shouldn't fly but they do, it's like a flying kitten, they're the only mammals that can fly. They're sort of mysterious as well, they're often about in the evenings at home but even then it's hard to get a look at them. I had a cat that brought one into me in bed one time, that wasn't so fun..

MadYaker

I like them. They are always around my parents house at night. I like the little chirp noise they emit. Pretty cool that they can catch flies in pitch darkness with their echolocation.

RobertKK

Lots of bats where I live and they fly quite close. I love bats, happy to see them.
I don't like bats in the house though, Irish bats are harmless.

corner of hells

My grandfather convinced me and my cousins when we were small that nuns turned into bats when they died.
The terror the mad bastard inflicted on a bunch of four and five year olds.

DarkyHughes

Bats can't see in the dark.

McChubbin

Always enjoyed going into the Bat House in Dublin Zoo when I was little.
As bad as they are for carrying several dieases, you have to admit they're oddly cute little critters.

Minjor

From my experience, you don't see them out flying all that often in Ireland.

I live in the countryside and see them rarely. Cool to watch though when they decide to make an appearance.

Birneybau

No opinion on them whatsoever.

Voles, love them or hate them? Now, theres a topic.

FunLover18

Adyx wrote: »

There's a type of bat found in South America that does feed on blood.

There is indeed but the OP was specifically talking about bats in Ireland. I also thinks it's pretty unfair to label all bats as blood suckers because of breed, you want to take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror mate

Iranoutofideas

Seeing the Bats out flying around the place is the start of summer for me. They fly around my house at night in circles for the entire summer, fantastic to watch, they can pull off some moves that would put a Swallow to shame.

Smidge

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Baby bats are real cuties, we'd one with a damaged wing in the boilerhouse once. Couldn't catch the guy to bring him to a vets, he'd flop away off balance if you got near to him. Furry head on him.

It took three days for him to die. Probably should have killed the poor thing to put it out of it's misery although that's easier said than done obviously. I wouldn't have it in me to end a bats life no matter what the circumstance

I think its against the law to kill a bat in the house. Open to correction
Although who the fukc is going to ring up the appropriate authority and say "Eh yeah, I've just killed a bat so best come over and arrest me"

I like them.
Great little critters.

Mountainsandh

They're very cute and useful, but I'm scared of them a bit because they fly too fast and close, and I have this irrational fear that they will aim for my hair.

gozunda

How could anyone not like this?

Nodster

It is an offence under the Wildlife Act (1976 & 2000) to intentionally disturb, kill or injure a bat or its resting place, so any work must be carried out with advice and under licence from the NPW.

http://www.batconservationireland.org/php/bats.php

Love seeing them fly about the place about the back garden around dusk

Smidge

Nodster wrote: »

It is an offence under the Wildlife Act (1976 & 2000) to intentionally disturb, kill or injure a bat or its resting place, so any work must be carried out with advice and under licence from the NPW.

http://www.batconservationireland.org/php/bats.php

Love seeing them fly about the place about the back garden around dusk

Aha!!
Thought I read/heard it somewhere

RobertKK

Minjor wrote: »

From my experience, you don't see them out flying all that often in Ireland.

I live in the countryside and see them rarely. Cool to watch though when they decide to make an appearance.

I see them out flying everyday in twilight before it is too dark.

Couple of years ago had three bats arrive in my father's bedroom, getting them back out was fun :pac:

Adyx

FunLover18 wrote: »

There is indeed but the OP was specifically talking about bats in Ireland. I also thinks it's pretty unfair to label all bats as blood suckers because of breed, you want to take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror mate

Not one of the posts I quoted mentioned Ireland. I was pointing out the factual inaccuracy in your posts and you think I need to take a good hard look at myself in the mirror. You were wrong, get over it.

DellyBelly

Don't mind bat's but much prefer a shower. Always feel cleaner