Batter up!

Bats like to roost and raise their babies in the rafters of houses, barns, sheds and other structures when a cave isn't handy. While this works great for the bats, it's not so wonderful for residents of houses where these bats choose to hang.

When it gets too hot in the attic, bats tend to explore the cooler, lower floors of houses, which leads to vampireesque, bats-in-your-hair fears of bloodsucking and rabies. Actually, rabies is the only real danger, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Wildlife. Should you find a bat in your house, open the windows and the doors to the outside. Bats are searching for cooler air. For bats found hanging on drapes and curtains, put a jar or large glass underneath the bat and cover it. Bats found on the floor can be covered with a towel or sheet. Or you can put on heavy leather gloves and just pick them up. After securing the bat, take it outside and release it. Bats can carry rabies and if bitten, you should seek immediate medical attention. Keep the bat, if you can, so it can be tested for rabies.

Learn everything about home bat displacement in MassWildlife's bat removal guide. "A Homeowner's Guide to Bats", http://www.mass. gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/ pdf/homeowners_guide_bats.pdf. However, if there are more than a few bats living in your attic or walls, MassWildlife recommends waiting until at least through November to remove them so the young bats get a chance to learn how to fly. Those lacking bat-wrangling expertise for large flocks of bats can check out www. mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/pac/ pac_agent_index.htm for listings of

authorized bat removers.

Princess of tides

Nantucket Conservation Foundation Ecologist Karen Beattie received permission from the Conservation Commission on July 16 to get the tide flowing in and out of the southern portion of Medouie Creek.

Originally, a ditch from Polpis Harbor into Medouie Creek allowed the tide to carry fresh saltwater into this salt marsh twice a day, but the marsh and ditch gradually filled in. A road was built over the marsh to two landings on the harbor and while a culvert connected the salt marsh with the harbor, it too eventually became clogged.

Today, this portion of salt marsh in Medouie Creek barely gets any fresh saltwater exchange during the daily tidal cycles. Armed with a newly acquired ConCom notice of intent, Beattie and Nantucket Conservation Foundation will get to work this fall cleaning out the ditch before installing a three-foot square concrete culvert from the marsh to the harbor. I