Bats about St Mary's
This church is one of many that are used by bats
Bats are small furry intelligent mammals whose numbers have declined drastically in recent years. There were 15 species of bats in Britain, some of which are extremely rare. The Mouse-eared bat is now extinct in Britain. For centuries they have been surrounded by myths and legends and often persecuted. British bats eat only insects, they are not blind nor do they get tangled in your hair!
There are many reasons for their decline in numbers, one is lack of suitable roost sites. Bats will often use churches for only part of the year and, contrary to popular belief, they usually shun the belfry - which can be rather too draughty and noisy.
Often the only sign of their presence is their droppings, which may be found scattered round the church as the bats fly around before going out to feed at night. The droppings are quite harmless and odourless, but they can be a nuisance in churches, sometimes trying the patience of the cleaners!
The species of Bats using St Mary’s is the Brown Long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus).
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These
are medium sized bats. The ears are nearly as long as the body but are not always obvious;
when at rest they curl their ears back like rams horns, or tuck them away completely under
their wings leaving only the pointed inner lobe of the ear (the tragus) visible. It can be
very difficult to distinguish the Brown Long-eared from the rare Grey Long-eared bat
(Plecotus austriacus) of southern England. The Brown Long-eared bat is the second most common species in Britain and is found throughout the UK, Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is absent from Orkney and Shetland, and other exposed islands. It is also common and widespread in the rest of Europe, except for southern Spain, southern Italy and Greece. |
| It has declined in Britain due to changing land use, including modern intensive agricultural practices, which have resulted in the loss of suitable feeding habitats and hollow trees for roosting. It is particularly susceptible to pesticides, especially their use in roofs where it often roosts on exposed timbers. | |
Description:
Head and Body Length - 37 - 48 mm
Forearm Length - 34 - 42 mm
Wingspan - 230 - 285 mm
Weight - 6 - 12g
Colour - Adults light brown, pale underneath; juveniles greyish.
Mating Period - October to April
Maternity Colonies - Established late spring.
Young: 1 born late June to mid-July, weaned at 6 weeks.
Colony Size - 10 to 20 (occasionally more than 50).
Longevity – Up to 30 years.
UK Status - Not threatened
Habitat - Older buildings, barns, churches and trees
If you would like to find out more about bats and ways to help them, try the following links:
in the UK - The Bat Conservation Trust
in the USA - Organisation for Bat Conservation