The barbastelle bat is easily distinguished from its counterparts by its pug-like nose and black fur but, with its status as the UK’s rarest bat, they’re not easy to spot. We know they’re active in our region and we want to help them!

Due to pesticide use and habitat degradation or loss, their population numbers are declining across Europe. They’re on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species, so we’re working to improve conditions to allow them to flourish.

The ecology of barbastelle bats

With its pug-like nose, ears that meet in the middle, and black silky fur, the barbastelle bat stands out!

They breed in early autumn and their young, usually one or two pups, are then born in July. Juvenile bats take flight from around three weeks old and are able to source their own food after a further three weeks. 

Like most other bat species, barbastelles feed on moths as their primary food source but will also eat flies and beetles.

Barbastelle bats habitat

Barbastelle bats forage over a large area and benefit from access to open patches within woodlands for feeding. They hibernate from November to March, favouring old mines and caves, where the temperature is ambient and the air is dry.

They prefer a deciduous woodland, particularly near water, as a variety of trees with cracks, crevices and dead wood provides the ideal microhabitat for the bats to feed and roost.

Our Wilder Woodlands project has improved the habitat for barbastelles and other bat species at our Goblin Combe reserve and surrounding areas. By thinning out and veteranising trees, as well as creating new open spaces to increase light into the woodland floor, the bats now have more places to roost and better feeding grounds.

How you can help bats

If you want to play your part in helping our local bat populations, here are some actions you can take at home:

Create a safe space to roost

Early autumn is a great time of year to put up a bat box, as it’s when bats will be mating, as well as feeding themselves up before they hibernate over winter. You can find instructions on how to create your own on The Wildlife Trusts website, or you can buy one ready-made. You must ensure you don’t disturb a bat box once it’s up, as all bat species and their roosts are legally protected.
 

Get planting

By planting wildflowers, trees and shrubs in the autumn, bats will have more insects to feed on when they wake from hibernation in the spring! Buddleia, common honeysuckle, crab apple, dog rose, hawthorn, hazel and ivy will all set you up well for providing our bat friends with a tasty treat.

Get native wildflowers from our nursery at Grow Wilder

Monitor your local colony

Sunset is the best time of day to see bats in flight. Head out to your local park, watch them from your garden, or join an organised bat walk! Remember to record your sightings with Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre. They can often be seen around bodies of water, which provide them with insects to eat and act as a landmark to help them find their favourite hunting grounds.

If you’re a young person aged between 14 – 25, you can also join our evening bat walk event at Stoke Park on Saturday 12 September, as part of our Youth Programme! 

Sign up for our Youth bat walk