Yesterday I spotted a bat in my shed, sleeping on my shoe, what should I do?
For those of you who may have been a little frightened Bats NI assure us that it's an old wives tale that bats can get tangled in our hair and only in the jungles of South America do "vampire" bats drink blood, our bats only eat little insects!
Bats can be found in our homes, outbuildings, sheds, lofts and sometimes only noticed when builders begin work on site. Northern Ireland is home to eight of the nine species of bats found in Ireland. All of our bats are small, shy and harmless mammals that are vulnerable to disturbance.
Full protection in law makes it an offence to harm or disturb bats no matter where they are. If bats are discovered during building works, activity should cease until advice is sought from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, see also their publication "Bats & Development"
The Northern Ireland Bat Group also has lots of good advice and events on their website bats-ni.org.uk and who to contact if we discover an injured bat.
So please, if you discover a bat please don't disturb it!