Bats

Common Names: Whiskered Bat, Brandt’s Bat, Natterer’s Bat, Daubenton’s Bat, Noctule Bat, Leisler’s Bat, 45kHz Pipistrelle Bat, 55 kHz Pipistrelle Bat, Brown Long-eared Bat, Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Latin Names: Myotis mystacinus, Myotis brandtii, Myotis battereri, Myotis daubentonii, Nyctalus noctula, Nyctalus leisleri, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Plecotus auritus, Rhinolophus hipposideros

Families: Rhinolophidae, Verspertilionidae

All bat species in Britain are insectivorous and require an abundance of insect prey as they have voracious appetites, with pipistrelles reportedly catching over 3,000 insects each night. There are 17 species of bat that are resident in the UK and several of these (including the Noctule Bat, Brown Long-eared Bat and Lesser Horseshoe Bat) are on the UK list of priority species for biodiversity action.

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park eight bat species are regularly recorded. It is thought that the Leisler’s bat is highly likely to occur in the area and it is also suspected that the lesser horseshoe bat may be present but there are no confirmed records of either species in the Dales.

Bats are nocturnal and spend the day at roost sites which, in the Dales, are primarily in buildings or in old trees. A number of river bridges, particularly where there are numerous small gaps and cracks between the stonework, are also important roost sites for a number of species.

Whiskered and Brandt’s bats often roost in buildings but are also known from woodland sites. Natterer’s bats require suitable roost sites in buildings that are close to woodland feeding sites where they will regularly pick off insects from the foliage. The noctule bat is one of the earliest bats to emerge in the evening and due to its large size and rapid flight can often be mistaken for a bird as it flies over woodland hunting insects. The soprano and common pipistrelle bats are the most likely species to be encountered in the Dales. These species may be found roosting and feeding in a wide range of habitats particularly where there is some woodland cover. The brown long eared bat, aptly named as its ears are almost three quarters the length of the body, is another species likely to be seen along woodland edges. Although many species can be seen foraging over rivers and streams there is one species, Daubenton’s bat, that feeds exclusively over water where their large feet are perfectly adapted to picking insects off the surface of the water.

Whilst the Yorkshire Dales might not support a wide range of bat species, the diverse habits within the National Park are important for a number of species and the Dales' riparian habitats in particular support large numbers of bats. Research by the University of Leeds has also shown that many of the cave systems in the National Park are nationally important for swarming and hibernating bats. In late summer, many species of bats will leave the smaller maternity colonies and summer roosts across the Dales and move to a much smaller number of swarming sites. At these sites, bats from a wide geographical area will congregate in order to mate, before going deeper into the cave systems later in the year to hibernate. Although dispersal distances vary between species, some bats in the Dales have been known to travel over 30km from summer roosts sites to swarming and hibernation sites.

Links:

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Glover, A. & Altringham, J., 2006. The use of underground sites by bats in the Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Conservation Research & Monitoring Reports No.4. (opens in new window)

Grouped Species Action Plan for Bats (opens in new window)

Websites:

Bat Conservation Trust (opens in new window)

Other sources of information:

Jones, K & Walsh, A (2001) A guide to British bats (2nd edition). Field Studies Council/ The Mammal Society Fold-out chart available from the Field Studies Council or Tel: 01743 852140.