A Bat In The House – Farming Friends

My husband came downstairs the other night and said that he had just seen a bat fly past the study door.

“A bat?!” I said, “That can’t be right. Tell me what happened.” And so he did.

As my husband sat at the computer, he saw something fly past the door. It caught his eye because it was larger than a fly. Anyway he didn’t think too much about it until it flew in the other direction confirming that he had seen something and it wasn’t a fly. When he got up to investigate a bat flew across the landing.

So what did my husband do? He closed the door on the bedroom where he had last seen the bat.

I couldn’t quite believe my ears. A bat in the house. I went up to investigate myself. I gingerly opened the door and was confronted with nothing.

In fact it wasn’t until the following evening that the bat reappeared. The first I knew about the reappearance was when my husband came down to say that he had just shut a bat in the bathroom.

My parents were staying for the weekend and so Steve, dad and I (armed with camera as this was obviously a photo opportunity not to be missed) rushed to the bathroom. We opened the door and all squeezed into the narrow and now somewhat overcrowded bathroom.

Yes indeed there was a bat in our bathroom. The bat had landed on the window ledge but as I attemped to focus the camera before we let it out the window, the bat decided it would fly around the bathroom.

As it circled the ceiling, I ducked down and didn’t see much except the floor in the bathroom, which I’m pleased to say was clean! I’m especially pleased as my nose seemed to be practically touching the floor as I tried to dodge the bat. Needless to say I didn’t manage to get a photograph of the bat.

Whilst I was inspecting the floor for dirt (my excuse anyway!) my dad and husband managed to open the bathroom window and let the bat fly out safely and untouched by human hand.

We have often seen bats in the barns at night although never one in the house, but then as they say there is always a first time for everything.

Oh my gosh…what a freaky thing to happen! Leave it to a woman to take notice during something like this as to whether her floors are clean!!! It was a great, and exciting accounting of the incident!!!
Julie

Comment by Julie – November 22, 2007 @ 3:26 am
We see and hear bats outside but have never had one in the house. Just as well, I don’t think my bathroom floor would pass the nose to the floor test!
Comment by Diane – November 22, 2007 @ 4:06 am
Hi Julie,
I honestly thought Steve was joking when he said he had seen a bat fly upstairs. Thanks for the compliment about my story and your visit.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Diane,
Like you we see them all the time in the barn but never in the house. i don’t know how it got in but I am glad I saw it get out!!!
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends – November 22, 2007 @ 7:05 am
These farmhouses and their wildlife!
Loved it – you really captured the moment, Sara, I could see it all (and, naturally, the super clean floors!).

Comment by paula – November 22, 2007 @ 7:31 am
This happened to us one year when we where having a new window fitted. The bat came in for a visit flew all round the house, then eventually found its way out of the hole where the window should have been!!!! What amazed me was the size of its wing span!
Comment by Libby – November 22, 2007 @ 7:47 am
Brilliant! I just love these stories! As our garden was created for wildlife, nothing gives me greater pleasure than reading about creatures thriving in spite of humankind 🙂
Comment by Wildlife Gardener – November 22, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Hi Paula,
Thanks for the visit and comment. Thank you so much for the praise. it means alot coming from such a fabulous story teller.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Libby,
I am glad to hear that we are not the only ones that this has happened to. Thanks for your comment and visit.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Wildlife Gardener,
Thank you so much for the lovely coment and compliment. Yes it is great to hear that the wildlife can thrive amongst us humans. Thanks for your visit and comment.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends – November 22, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
I know all about bats in the house! I blogged about it several times. It ended up costing me $800. to get rid of them! No fun! Glad you got yours out!
Comment by jean – November 22, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Hi Jean,
Wow, fancy that bats in the house costing so much. I’m sorry to hear this. Phew what a relief we got it out without it costing anything. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. sara from farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends – November 22, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Bat must have a faulty radar! Were you cooking anything particularly delicious at the time?
Comment by Matron – November 22, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
Hi Sara,
I would have been totally upset out by bats in the house. I have a neighbor who had some in their attic and that would be one thing but for them to actually get in the house would be even more upsetting. I’m glad your husband managed to let it out. I would have been examining the floor well away from the bat too. Take care, Carver

Comment by Carver – November 22, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
It must have been amazing seeing one at such close quarters. I had to laugh when you started talking about your clean floors… it made me go into the bathroom and check mine (better get on my hands and knees and give it a scrub!). We have bats in the garden (I think they must roost in the roof, but can’t find out where) but they have never ventured indoors. We did have a young bluetit once.. which flew in through an open window and then when up into the loft (as we had the loft hatch open). It took us ages to catch it and let it out. We often look at the birds in the garden and wonder which one it was.
Comment by Jane – November 22, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Hi Sara,
I like farm critters, but not of the bat variety!

Just wanted to let you know that I’m tagging you for the 8 Random Things Meme.

Hope you’ll play!

Cathy

Comment by 2greenthumbsup – November 23, 2007 @ 4:15 am
Sara,
What an adventurous life you have 🙂 !
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving this nice comment!

Comment by vero – November 23, 2007 @ 9:55 am
Sara! Oh my! We had once a bird flew inside the house but a bat? That is exciting and scary at the same time. Good thing it got out. Me? I will probably scream like there’s no tomorrow, lol!
Comment by TeacherJulie – November 23, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Hi Sara .. we’ve often had bats in the house, usually young ones, usually in summer. I’ve never actually seen one flying, but when they get stuck in the house we try to isolate them in one room with the windows open. The trouble is this house is long and thin with central corridors where they often get trapped for a day or two. Then, in the morning, it’s hunt the bat, to see if it’s still indoors, and if it is, where it’s roosted for the day. It’s then fascinating to get close to them …. I’ve identified several species here. But I rather envy your husband seeing one flying in the house, because it’s a little eery thinking of it flying about while everyone else is asleep.
We often get birds indoors too (I’m a fresh air fiend, windows wide open most of the year!) but they are much easier to set free

Joanna

Comment by Joanna – November 23, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
That would be creepy!
Comment by Teena in Toronto – November 24, 2007 @ 7:21 pm