Bats in Badger Farm by Lois Gravely
I expect you will be aware of the small pipistrelle bats which frequently fly around our gardens on warm summer evenings. Pipistrelles are one of the most common bats but there is more than one species living in Badger Farm. We have the common pipistrelle and the soprano pipistrelle. You won’t tell them apart by watching them flying around though. To identify bats in flight you need the help of a bat detector. I managed to borrow one from a friend so I started to explore Badger Farm to see what would turn up.
Prior to borrowing the detector, I took an evening stroll to the Davis Kickabout. On the way I saw a few pipistrelles flitting about. When I reached the park however, I was surprised to see quite a number of larger bats swooping and diving around the trees not unlike a collection of small starlings. They were hunting chafer beetles that were emerging from the grass. Some of the bats flew really low to catch the insects. My first thought was that these must be noctules but a little research told me that noctules fly high above the trees. Reading more about the different species (there are about 18 species of bat in the UK) I concluded that they were serotine bats and the bat detector, when I obtained it, confirmed this. Serotine bats are one of the larger bats we have in this country and they like nothing better than a crunchy chafer beetle. Serotine bats prefer to roost in lofts and roof spaces so this maybe where they are hiding out in Badger Farm.
On another occasion I went to the Central Recreation Area but here I didn’t find any of the serotines and only a few pipistrelles. For some reason they preferred the Davis Kickabout, maybe because of its direct link to Whiteshute Ridge and Bushfield (where there are some 10-11 species of bat).
After I had watched the bats for a period of a couple of weeks, I decided to contact Hampshire Bat Group and they confirmed my identification and gave me some further information about bats in the area. They also provided the pictures which are of bats they are currently rehabilitating.
All bat species are in trouble. A lack of insects on which they feed, especially larger moths and beetles; destruction of habitats and roosts; and climate change are all threatening their survival. Many bats, including the serotine, like to use buildings for roosting which makes them vulnerable to building renovations and toxic remedial timber treatment chemicals. But there are things we can do to help.
In Badger Farm we are lucky to have many wild grassy areas and plenty of trees and this undoubtedly helps the bats to thrive especially where verges are allowed to flower. Allowing some untidiness in our gardens and keeping them as natural as possible will help. Avoid pesticides, too much hard standing and the dreaded plastic ‘grass.’ Maybe you could put up a bat box or two but it is important to do your research first. Having bats in a loft is unlikely to cause any problems and it is important to note that all bats are protected by law. If you have any concerns you can get help from the Bat Conservation Trust – https://www.hampshirebatgroup.org.uk/ .