27/05/2026
๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ
Woodworm and bats often go hand in hand when you work with period and listed properties like us. However, bats are highly threatened mammals, and their successful conservation depends on the availability of a range of roost sites that meet their needs throughout the year; they therefore depend very much on the goodwill of owners of properties like you.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐
You may not be aware that you have bats roosting in your property, but very aware of the presence of woodworm. In that case, a timber treatment specialist like us will carry out a full survey, looking for evidence of both woodworm and bats, either historic or active.
If we believe bats are, have or will be roosting, weโll need to call in the experts.
๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
Call the National Bat Helpline, run by the Bat Conservation Trust on 0345 1300 228, to find your nearest bat specialist. In our case, we work with Natural England.
Natural England offers free advice for householders where evidence of bats is present. They will advise on how and when proposed work should be carried out in order to prevent harm to bats and comply with the relevant legislation.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ:
โข Many species of bat are seasonal visitors to their roost sites
โข Some, however, stay all year round and hibernate on site
โข The most common time for bats to be away from their roost site is April, and mid-September to October.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐
Contractors must be informed of the roost site before work begins and if you have followed the advice from the bat conservationist, you should be able to commence treating the timbers within the advised timeframe.
First, a thorough search of the property should be undertaken, using a soft brush to reach the crevices and help locate any bats hidden inside.
Ideally the treatment chemical will be painted onto the timbers, not sprayed, and only bat appropriate chemicals should be used in minimal volumes.
Look for a treatment fluid containing a synthetic pyrethroid or boron compound, to treat wood-boring insect, with a copper, zinc or boron compound to prevent rot, preferably in emulsion or aqueous solution.
Do NOT proceed if bats are actually present and contact the helpline for further advice.
Just to remind you that ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐. They should not be removed from their chosen roost site and any potential access gaps to the building should not be blocked up.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐
We have experience of working with woodworm in historic buildings and of protecting the sites chosen by bats for roosting.
We will survey your property and provide you with the necessary contact details for advice from the bat experts. Weโll then return to treat your timbers as appropriate.
Please also bear in mind that your infestation may in fact be historic and inactive, so thereโs zero risk to your property or the - but you wonโt know until you call the surveyors in!
Contact us on 01865 718 383 or visit the website page for more information.
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