Bats in trees
why woodland is so important to these nighttime visitors… Bats are one of the most fascinating but misunderstood animals in the world. For many people, they conjure up images of evil spirits and bloodthirsty vampires. Probably the most famous reference to bats in popular culture is in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. First published in 1897 but made famous by the original film in 1931, the shapeshifting Romanian aristocrat has probably done the most to cement negative images of bats into people’s minds. 16
In reality, this perception of bats could not be further from the truth, but their shy and secretive nature has meant that old myths die hard. In fact, out of the estimated 1,300 species of bats in the world the majority eat insects with others having found to eat fruit and nectar. Only three species of bat feed on blood and are all found in South America – not Transylvania! In the UK, bats feed exclusively on insects, ranging from small
biting midges to large beetles such as cockchafers and dung beetles. Out of all the small fluttery shadows that you are able to make out at sunset, the pipistrelle is probably the bat you’re most likely to see as it is often flies around street lights and in gardens. Although only weighing around 5 grams, pipistrelle bats can eat up to 3,000 insects per night! In addition to the tiny pipistrelle, there are a further 17 other bat species to spot in
