posted by admin on May 25
This article details all you need to know as a beginner about a year in the life of a bat in the UK:
Animal Type: Mammalia - Chiroptera
Species Info: There are 2 main Orders of bats in the world: Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera - but only the latter are found in the UK.
UK Distribution:There are 17 species of Bat in the UK, with all these found in the South including the tiny Pipistrelle (only 5 grams) and the larger Daubenton’s and Noctule Bats, with only a few species found in the North.
Preferred Habitat: Around water (as this attracts their insect prey) and in quiet locations - although are quite happy to live in towns on canals or by lakes. They need roosting sites nearby to where they feed - one for hibernating and another for summer roosting, so a variety of buildings, caves and holes in trees (or bat boxes) are essential.
In Spring: Waking Up After Hibernation.
In early March, bats may still be hibernating but some will start to feed if necessary - however April is the month that you are most likely to start seeing many bats feeding at night in the UK. By May there will be plenty of activity in the Bat world as the females are actively looking for communal nursery sites in which to have their young.
In Summer: Giving Birth & Young Taking To The Skies.
The young are usually born in June (usually only 1 young per female per year). These young stay in the nursery though most of July, building up strength until they start to leave the nest in August. After the young have left, the females go off in search of males to mate with.
In Autumn: Mating & Searching For A Hibernation Site.
The adult males and females spend most of September mating, as well as starting to build up fat reserves for the winter ahead by feasting on insects. If the weather stays warm there could still be feeding into November, but when temperatures start to drop, the bats start to hibernate.
In Winter: All UK Bats Are Hibernating.
You will rarely see a Bat through the cold winter as they will be be hibernating somewhere quiet and secure. As the winter moves on they will stay in that place, gradually using up their fat reserves to stay alive. Only when temperatures warm up nearing Spring will they naturally begin to stir and set out hunting again.
UK/World Events:
May: UK National Moth & Bat Night
August: European Bat Weekend
Bat Groups:
UK - Bat Conservation Trust
US - Bat Conservation International
Other - South-East Asia Bat Conservation
Other Information:
Bats in the UK are protected by strict laws and you can be liable for a fine of up to £5000 and possible imprisonment per incident or ‘per bat’ if you deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat, destroy a roost - even if not in use, or intentionally block access to a bat roost. So call an expert if in doubt!