BATS

Bat numbers are on the wane due primarily to the loss of roosts and feeding areas, and the increasing use of pesticides - which depletes their supply of insect food.  Bats are useful in the garden as well by eating a lot of insect pests.  Herbs and cottage garden plants, partciularly annuals, are attractive to insects, as are wildfloewrs and night-scented flowers.  It is also useful to grow native trees and shrubs to attract insects.  Piles of logs will also attract them, and NEVER use chemicals to get rid of insects. A good way of attracting bats as well is to provide them with bat boxes, similar to bird boxes but with a gap underneath instead of a hole in the front.  However, it may take a while fo rthe bats to roost in it so be patient! If your bat box starts to have bats taking up residence you must apply to English Nature for a licence to continue checking the box.   Bats and their roosts are protected by law and to disturb them is an offence.  In 1992, the mouse-eared bat became extinct in England - the first mammal in the UK to become extinct for 250 years.  There are now sixteen species of bat left in Great Britain - of these, six are endangered or rare.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects bats and their roosts.  Summary as follows - it is an offence to:

- intentionally kill, injure or take a bat

- possess or control a live or dead bat or anything derived from it

- intentionally or wrecklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to a place bats use for shelter and protection

- intentionally or wreclessly disturb bats

- sell, offer or expose for sale or possess or transport for the purpose of sale, any live or dead bat or part of a bat

- to knowingly get or use articles capable of catching, injuring or killing bats, or knowingly allow such action

- make a false statement to get a licence for bat work

The fine fi found guilty of any of the above offences is a potential �5,000 for eahc offence and each bat involved.

Common bats you might see in the garden are the brown long-eared, natterer's, serotine and pipistrelle (a mere 4 cm long!)

Bat (moth) plants available now