Gail Armstrong - Bat Species in the Arnside and Silverdale AONB 

Noctule bat - Nyctalus noctula

Status: Widespread but uncommon

Habit: Nocturnal, emerges early

Head & body length: c80mm

Wingspan: c400mm

Food: Diptera bugs, caddis flies, beetles and moths

Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woodland, pasture and parkland

This is the largest British bat and has long, narrow wings which means that it flies very fast and in the open. It has short, round ears and sleek chestnut or reddish-brown fur all over.

Daubenton's bat - Myotis daubentoni

Status: Widespread and common on waterways

Habit: Nocturnal, emerges late

Head & body length: c50mm

Wingspan: c250mm

Food: Midges, caddis flies, aphids, mayflies, lacewings

Habitat: Deciduous woodland, usually close to water

A medium sized bat which emerges well after sunset and mainly forages low over bodies of still and slow flowing water.

Natterer's bat - Myotis nattereri

Status: Widespread but uncommon and elusive

Habit: Nocturnal, emerges late

Head & body length: c50mm

Wingspan: c275mm

Food: Spiders, harvestmen, flies, moths and beetles

Habitat: Predominantly woodland and vegetated waterside

A slow flying bat and is known to glean for non-flying prey items such as spiders. The face is bare and pink and ear tips tapered.

Whiskered bat - Myotis mystacinus

Status: Widespread but uncommon

Habit: Nocturnal

Head & body length: c42mm

Wingspan: c225mm

Food: A broad range of small flying insects such as Diptera, moths and lacewings

Habitat: Wide range of semi-open habitats

A small bat which is surprisingly numerous within the AONB although few roost sites have been found. The wings and face are dark and belly fur is much lighter than the dorsal. They ‘patrol’ slowly along a hedgerow or other linear feature, usually staying at a constant height, in contrast to the rapid and acrobatic flight of the more common pipistrelle bats.

Brandt's bat - Myotis brandtii

Status: Widespread but uncommon

Habit: Nocturnal

Head & Body length: c42mm

Wingspan: c225mm

Food: A broad range of small flying insects such as Diptera, moths and lacewings

Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woodland

Similar to the Whiskered bat but it has a closer association with woodland. The wings and face are usually paler than Whiskered bats but other physical differences are subtle and variable.

Brown long-eared bat - Plecotus auritus

Status: Widespread but reasonably common near woodland

Habit: Nocturnal, emerges late

Head & body length: c45mm

Wingspan: c250mm

Food: Mainly moths but also Diptera and other bugs as well as some non-flying prey

Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woodland

A medium sized species but with extremely long ears and very quiet echolocation calls. It is very closely associated with a cluttered environment such as broad leaved woodland. It has pale brown fur, broad wings and flies slowly and deliberately, often gleaning insect prey from the foliage.

Common pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Status: Widespread and common

Habit: Nocturnal

Head & body length: c40mm

Wingspan: c220mm

Food: Diptera and numerous other small flying insects

Habitat: All habitats including urban parks and gardens

A small, common species which occurs in all habitats and is often seen at, or just after, sunset foraging around gardens. It has small round ears and a uniform dark brown fur with a blackish face and wing membranes. The flight looks erratic with many tight twists and turns as it chases after the small flying insects that make up its diet.

Soprano pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pygmaeus

Status: Widespread and common

Habit: Nocturnal

Head & body length: c40mm

Wingspan: c220mm

Food: Diptera and numerous other small aquatic insects

Habitat: All habitats but more common near rivers, canals and lakes

Very similar to the common pipistrelle but more often found in a water habitat, roosting close to rivers and lakes and a larger portion of its diet is made up of aquatic insects. The fur is usually paler than the common pipistrelle and skin membranes are pinky-brown.

Other species which may occur in the AONB, but for which there are no recorded roosts, are as follows.

Nathusius pipistrelle - Pipistrellus nathusi

Probably overlooked, it is slightly larger than the other two pipistrelle species with ventral fur that is much paler than the dorsal. It is widespread in Europe and thought to be migratory, sometimes occurring in Britain in the winter. It is usually found near water.

Leisler's bat - Nyctalus leisleri

Related to, but smaller than, the Noctule bat and recent research in Southern Scotland has shown that they forage at higher altitudes. A ‘lion's mane’ of thicker, grey-brown fur around the shoulders is usually apparent.

Alcathoe's bat - Myotis alcathoe 

Slightly smaller than the whiskered and Brandt's bats, it has recently been discovered in Yorkshire and may be present but previously overlooked in other areas.

Image 1: Brown Long-eared (Silverdale Sept'16) Image 2: Brnatds 2 Image 3: Cpip 3

 

Image 1: Daub 5 Image 2: Natterers 4 Image 3: Soprano Pip DT2

 

Whisked Bat Crop