European Bat Weekend
12 July 2010
European Bat WeekendEuropean Bat Night is Saturday 28th August & to celebrate, the Bat Conservation Trust is co-ordinating a series of walks, talks and activities across the country. For more information go to http://www.bats.org.uk/news_events/map/index.asp
There are 9 different species of bat in Scotland, though 3 are very rare, and even though they are all nocturnal, they all have very different homes, habits and routines.
Some, like the most common bat - Pipistrelle - like to roost in small cracks and crevices in roof spaces, whilst others prefer trees, gaps in bridges, old buildings or caves
Pipistrelles bats are by far our most common bat, and they tend to emerge early - shortly after sunset. They are therefore often the ones people see, flying and swooping just above the tree line where they feed on the insects found in woodland areas.
Daubentons bats are also very common in Scotland, but they have very different feeding methods to Pipistrelles which mean that unless you're in the right place and the right time, you don't often see them. They feed on insects that are found on the surface of water, and therefore fly up and down rivers, streams, canals and lochs, picking up the insects with their large back feet before eating them.
Noctule bats are the largest Scottish bat, with a wingspan of up to 40cm. They are also quite early emergers, sometimes coming out before sunset. They can be seen flying high and fast above woodland and farmland before swooping down to catch their prey and heading straight back up again.
All bats feed by a process called echolocation, which means they emit high pitched ‘squeeks' that are reflected back from their surroundings allowing them to build up a picture of the world around them. That way, they are able to pick up the movement of even the tiniest of insects and hone in on them. Each species of bat emits their own unique ‘squeek', which can be picked up by a bat detector and lowered into a sound that humans can hear. Because each sound is different, we are able to tell the bat species apart without having to see, or catch them.
Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind. They have very good eye-sight that allows them to see well in the dusk, just not in daylight. All Scottish bats see in black and white, as there's no need for them to see in colour. Bats also have a very high metabolism, which means they have to eat 100% of their body weight a night to justify the flight out of the roost. But that has an up side too, a single bat can eat up to 3000 midges a night, so a bat in the attic will be one of the best ways of keeping your garden pest free!
