Bats in the belfry a serious matter for the Church of England

[hrmjustin]

Trevor Grundy

CANTERBURY, England (RNS) Bats are making life unbearable for congregations by defecating on worshippers from roofs as well as bell towers, according to a report to the Church Buildings Council of the Church of England.

“Bats in churches are no joke for those who have to clean up the mess behind,” said Anne Sloman, chair of the council. “Their presence in large numbers is making it impossible for us to open churches for a whole variety of social and community uses as well as making life miserable for worshippers, and we are seriously worried about the irreparable damage bats are causing to priceless church artifacts.”

The report prepared by academics at Bristol University suggests that with clever use of lighting systems and acoustic devices, bats can be kept away from parts of churches.

“The research has been helpful,” said Sir Tony Baldry, a member of Parliament, “but what we now need is action to ensure that church congregations can worship without being concerned about the impact of bat feces and urine.”

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/03/13/bats-belfry-serious-matter-church-england/

[cbayer]

1. Oh dear!

Guano is some nasty stuff.

[hrmjustin]

2. I am told we have bats in our church but I have never seen one in real life.

[cbayer]

3. They come out at dusk generally.

Rabies can be a problem, too.

I see them here, but they are out in the open.

[hrmjustin]

4. Sounds horrible.

I hope the can get rid of them.

[trotsky]

5. Sounds like they need to build some bat houses.

You definitely want them around - they are fantastic bug killers.

[hrmjustin]

6. Imagine having to clean that out. Not my cup of tea.

[trotsky]

7. Generally no need to.

http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/lc/lc_bat_faq.asp

Why would I want to attract bats?
Bats are important indicators of a healthy environment. Because they are sensitive to high pollution and pesticide levels, they are useful as a warning sign to potential environmental problems. Also, bats can be important weapons in combating insects that are actually dangerous to humans. A small bat can capture more than 1,200 mosquitoes in a single hour! Also, bats cannot contract the West Nile Virus by eating infected mosquitoes. Besides mosquitoes, bats can help control the populations of beetles, moths, and leafhoppers. Many insects can hear bats up to 100 feet away and will avoid those areas occupied by bats. The effectiveness of bats in some areas diminishes the need for pesticides that can harm both the pests and their natural predators.

Should I clean my bat house?
Bat houses are relatively maintenance free, so you should not have to clean your bat house. General maintenance, such as repainting the house, should be done when the bats have left to hibernate for the winter.

Bats are awesome.

[hrmjustin]

8. Oh well that sounds more economical then.

[Fumesucker]

9. Alternative title: The Church of England ~knows~ batshit..

[hrmjustin]

10. Lol!

[okasha]

11. Do English bats migrate south in the winter?

If they do, the churches could insttall exclusionary screening while they are gone, in addition to the bat houses. I believe Britain is now rabies-free, and perhaps bats aren"t a major vector as they are in Mexico and South Texss.