Bat roosting

O

owd git

Active member
Open question, (probably for big Jim!) (y)
When should we take precaution to avoid 'bat disturbance' in Derbys' / (Masson Hill area specifically.)?
Flying bat spotted 3rd water chamber Jug Holes this week.
Will the milder weather have much affect?
Many thanks, Owd Git. 
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
:-[
sorry, misread the title - thought it was roasting!
Anyway, will defer to better knowledge but I have seen bats flying all year round reccently in the Via Gellia, except during really cold (frosty) weather. Perhaps this is due to the weather or maybe global warming affecting the flying mice.
So yes, the milder weather will have an effect...
 
M

Maggot

New member
Saw 2 lesser horseshoes "at it" in a stone mine last tuesday. The noises they were making were definitely not ultrasonic  :eek:
 
Big Jim

Big Jim

Member
Ric, bats may be seen in caves at all times of year though their primary use is as hibernacular. Bats will move to hibernation sites aroiund now but may not neccessarily enter a torpid state until it gets really cold. Even in mid winter they arouse during milder spells and will move around within a site and may leave a cave to feed. They alos use caves late summer /early autumn for mating and some species use them in the summer for breeding though this tends to be the Rhinolophidae bats which we dont have in the peaks.

Jug Holes has a history of bats, but then most the caves n mines in that area are used by bats. Dont get too worried, just be careful n follow the codes of conduct gievn in most caving guides. 

Ill 'learn' ya more on the training session when we sort the next one after xmas.

sorry if this is bollox Im half pished

J (on a cider night)
 
gus horsley

gus horsley

New member
Maggot said:
Saw 2 lesser horseshoes "at it" in a stone mine last tuesday. The noises they were making were definitely not ultrasonic  :eek:
Click to expand...

There's loads "at it" at the moment, a bit late compared to many previous years, so an indicator of climate change perhaps. 
 
Big Jim

Big Jim

Member
Not really, they can mate from summer and right through the hibernation period, with males mating with torpid females. Because of delayed fertilisation* though (whereby the female stores the sperm away from the egg) the females all become pregnant at about the same time and hence birth is synchronised within a colony the young being born late spring time.


J
 
shotlighter

shotlighter

Active member
What does bat shit look like? I think I've found a roost - dirty white poo , about 3/8 long by 1/8 dia., cylindrical in shape.
 
M

Maggot

New member
Bat crap (Guano) is about the sizes you describe but black in colour. If it's white, that's probably fungus growing on it.
 
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