Found a bat?
Help! I’ve found a bat, what do I do?
It’s a statement we hear often and we’ll help where we can.
Firstly, where is the bat? This will determine how you deal with it. Follow these questions to see what you best options are.
Question 1
Is the bat in your house?
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No – Go to question 2
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Yes – Go to question 4
Question 2
Has the bat been disturbed during building work?
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No – Go to question 3
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Yes: If possible, carefully recover the bat and contact the BCT Helpline. If the bat can’t be returned to its original place then secure it following our containment advice before contacting the BCT Helpline.
Question 3
Is the bat in a reachable location?
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No – Keep an eye on it to see if becomes reachable.
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Yes - Follow the containment advice and contact the BCT Helpline
Question 4
Is the bat flying around the house?
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No: Contain using our guidelines and contact the BCT.
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Yes. Don’t try and chase it, you’ll only stress yourself and the bat. If possible, contain it in one room. It will eventually settle so you can encourage it out at dusk. Once it is dark (or if it already is) open the windows in the room wide, keep curtains and blinds well out of the way and turn off all the lights. You want them to be able to see it is dark outside so they fly out, if lights are on they can’t tell that it’s an exit. It may take quite a while for a bat to leave. If it doesn’t go, contain it using our guidelines then contact the BCT.
Submit a record
Whether you’ve seen a single bat or carried out a full survey, you can add the details here. Simply fill in the form with as much information as possible then hit submit. All the data you provide helps us build up a better picture of bats across the North East and will aid conservation attempts.