Wildlife in the garden - bats
Did you know that bats account for more than a quarter of mammal species in the UK? They’re often considered mysterious or scary – sinister even – but bats are fascinating nocturnal creatures which are an important part of a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem, and we can help them by designing and planting our gardens to provide them with plenty of food and places to roost.
Bats use echolocation to fly around feeding at dusk and later when it’s dark, creating a visual map of their surroundings through sound. A single pipistrelle bat can eat between 1000 and 3000 insects in one night, giving them a really vital part to play in keeping insect populations in balance, and reducing damage to crops and garden plants. They usually eat insects such as moths, mosquitoes, midges and beetles.
As gardeners, we can make a few conscious choices which support bats in our gardens and green spaces, including growing pollinator-friendly plants and leaving wild areas to create insect habitats. Water plays a vital role in a bat-friendly garden: ponds are great breeding grounds for insects and larger bodies of water can be used by bats to drink on the wing.
It’s important to avoid light pollution which can disrupt bats’ natural behaviour; downlighters and soft path markers are recommended instead of uplighters and bright security lights which glow all night long.
Bat boxes can be used too, to encourage them into areas where they may be fewer natural roosting sites; these should be fixed as high up as possible onto a wall, post or tree, in a sheltered, wind-free position which is partially exposed to sunlight. Just remember that bats and their roosts are protected by law, so once it’s up, it’s illegal to open a bat box without a licence, so you may need to call a local bat charity for assistance and advice.
