Is this the carpet monster - or am I going batty?

[davecov]

After an absence from my modelling bench for a couple of months due to problems with my hands, I am pleased to report that I have been able to do some modelling over the past week or so.

Yesterday afternoon I was in my modelling den "de-riveting" an Airfix B17G and heard a noise down by my foot. When I looked down I saw this:


I had an ice cream container full of Airfix kit stands nearby so I emptied it out and captured the "carpet monster", what I believe is a common pipistrelle. As bats are protected in the UK, I took it outside and released it and carried on modelling. This is the second time in five years that a bat has found it's way into my modelling den. First time, it frightened the life out of me. This time, I was more scared of the B17G's rivets than the bat!

Dave

[Jim R]

That must have been a surprise indeed. Glad you were able to release the little creature. This is the first time anyone has actually photographed and captured the "Carpet Monster". With that success behind you I'd get yourself up to Loch Ness ASAP. A good photo could set you up for life. :tongue-out3:

[A_J_Rimmer]

That's awesome!

When I was at Ayden Castle up in Northumberland last year, I found a bat on the floor and got talking to the site manager. Apparently his first job every morning was to walk around the buildings, picking up the bats that had fallen on the floor overnight so they didn't get injured. He worked in conjunction with the authorities and apparently had an authorised shoebox under his desk for the task. :smiling:

[boatman]

HI Dave that isnt drula crash landed in your model room is it LOL or maybe a vampire bat LOL
Chrisb

[davecov]

I have just dug out a video clip of the bat I captured in my modelling den in 2019. Apologies for the shaky camera work but I really was shaking - https://www.davecov.org/modelling/mo...911_012739.mp4

Dave

[boatman]

I have just dug out a video clip of the bat I captured in my modelling den in 2019. Apologies for the shaky camera work but I really was shaking - https://www.davecov.org/modelling/mo...911_012739.mp4

Dave

HI Dave well vid wont play for me im fraid oh dear
chrisb

[Ian M]

We had one in the wood burner a while back. good thing it was warm weather so we didn't light a fire. We put on a glove and carried it out to a tree.
Bats, apparently, can not take off from the ground like a bird. If you find on on the floor you need to put it on a bush or a tree.
Bats are also protected in Denmark, however... you can not remove them from their roosts but can prevent them from coming back in. Bats are great at eating mosquitos so we like having them around. (they are mostly from the farm buildings across the road but we and the next door neighbor have a few as well. I even found one in one of the bird boxes in the garden.

[davecov]

Both bats that I have released were put onto the ground and both took off okay.

Dave