Bats

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The Malmesbury River Valleys Trust employed tree surgeons to put up three bat boxes near the pond on their Conygre Mead Nature Reserve. These boxes have been attached together around a large willow tree where the bats should have a free flight path to this artificial roost.

We know that later in the summer, bats feed along the river and especially over the pond, as this is a great source of their insect food. Each of these bats will eat up to 3000 insects in one evening. It is hoped that when the bats emerge from their winter roosts they will choose to spend the summer nights in these specially designed boxes. In common with other wildlife groups, the M.R.V.T. is concerned that nationally the population of bats has declined with many of their former roosts under threat, old trees being felled and chemicals being used in buildings, and so it is hoped that by providing these boxes these interesting mammals will be encouraged to stay. The boxes have been constructed large enough for a maternity colony of bats to cluster together inside and conserve their body heat.

There are 18 species of bats in the UK and we believe that we have at least two species around our riverside reserve. From the popular ‘Bat and Moth’ evenings the Trust arranges each year, we know that the common Pipistrelle bat hunts all along the hedges of the mead and the Daubenton’s bat, also known as the water bat, takes insects from the surface of the river and pond. Bats are strictly protected by law and so these new boxes will not be disturbed in any way, so other than a fleeting glance in the dusk, the only way we will confirm our efforts are successful is to look for their tiny droppings at the base of the tree !

Derek Tilney

Malmesbury River Valleys Trust , Registered Office 34 West Street Malmesbury SN16 0AR
Charity No. 101 5802 Limited Company No. 277 1429