Holidaymakers in the Czech Republic were mortified after waking up to find over 250 bats sleeping in their hotel room.
Skin-crawling photos show an animal rescue worker, Radek Zemen, and the hotel receptionist attempting to net the 256 creatures that had dozed off after flying through an open window.
The guests, who were a couple, had been staying at the three-star Art Nouveau Sloven Hotel in the town of Plzen when they decided to leave their bedroom window open before going to sleep.
They had also left the bedroom door leading to the corridor slightly ajar because of the sweltering heat.
But when they awoke they found the 256 Soprano bats dozing on the walls, ceiling and curtains. Another 11 were found dead.
Holidaymakers in the Czech Republic were mortified after waking up to find over 250 bats sleeping in their hotel room. Pictured: An animal rescue worker tries to catch the bats
When the guests awoke they found the 256 Soprano bats dozing on the walls, ceiling and curtains
Skin-crawling photos show an animal rescue worker, Radek Zemen, and the hotel receptionist attempting to net the 256 creatures
Now the unnamed couple have been told it’s their fault their room was crawling with the creatures.
Animal rescue centre spokesman Karel Makoň said: ‘A record 256 live bats and 11 dead bats were found in room No. 212, where irresponsible guests and subsequently the maid left the window open.
‘The door to the hall was also left open, so about 50 bats were hiding in the space between the wall and the ceiling near the furniture.
‘The receptionist showed us a leaflet in three international languages saying that guests should not leave the windows open as there is a risk of a bat invasion.
‘But as you can see, unfortunately it’s in vain, it’s in vain, it’s in vain. Even though the pamphlet is in every room.
‘Even the maid didn’t bother to close the door and windows, so dozens of the flying mammals could move in easily.’
He added: ‘As long as the warm weather lasts, you have to expect an uninvited bat visit.
‘The moment it gets noticeably colder, the bats will move to other locations.’
The unnamed couple who were staying at the hotel have been told it’s their fault their room was crawling with the creatures
The guests decided to leave their bedroom window open before going to sleep. They had also left the bedroom door leading to the corridor slightly ajar because of the sweltering heat. Pictured: The animal rescue worker and hotel receptionist
For several years now, Czech authorities have been warning locals about ‘bat invasions’ during August and September.
The city of Plzen is in the middle of the bats’ migration routes which makes it a natural stopping off point.
According to the Czech Union of Nature Conservators, last year between August and September rescue stations found a total of 1,306 bats in apartments and hotel rooms.
The organisation said: ‘Since bats are able to enter your apartment even through a window, the easiest solution is to close the windows completely at night.’
In one hotel in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, last year 400 bats flew into a room through an open vent, but then couldn’t get out.
Almost half of them died.
Animal rescuer Vilém Babič said at the time: ‘We originally set out to rescue 100 bats, but when we saw the destruction and started counting, we reached four times that number.
‘This is truly a disaster’.
The Soprano bat is one of the smallest bats living in the Czech Republic.
It feeds on flying insects and often inhabits city parks, uninsulated panel houses and natural natural crevices and cavities.