Scotland is home to ten different species of bat. How do they use woodlands in Dumfries & Galloway and how can a bat box help?
On Saturday 16th August we will be hosting a bat evening at the Bennel Wood ‘Woodland Laboratory’ site, near Dalbeattie.
The event will start with a focus on the topic of Bat Boxes! The Species on the Edge project has been working with Dalbeattie Men's Shed team to make a batch of bat boxes. We'll be putting the finishing touches to these boxes on site and then attendees get to take one box away with them for install at home.
We'll then take a guided walk around the Bennel Wood site, discussing bats, their likes and dislikes. This will be a multi-sensory experience and an opportunity to use bat detectors to reveal how bats echolocate in the dark.
We will also provide further information on how to hang your box and how to complete a sunset bat survey.
Bat boxes are constructed of timber and measure approximately 40cm x 20cm. They are hung with wire, nails or brackets. When considering whether you have space for a bat box, please check the following criteria:
• A location (tree or building) that is sheltered from the wind but unshaded for most of the day (SW to SE aspect).
• Away from artificial light sources such as streetlights, which bats can find disturbing.
• Some good foraging habitat nearby, such as trees and hedgerows.
• The box must be erected at least 3m high.
Event logistics:
Please bring a torch and wear suitable outdoor clothing.
The walk will be less than 2 miles in total length, with frequent stops.
There is no toilet at Bennel Wood (not by August, there will be one soon though!)
Event venue is a recently clearfelled site, the walk will be on unmade paths. hazards.
This event is a partnership between Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands and Species on the Edge.
Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands a membership organisation established to support trees, habitats and the people that depend upon them in the region. For more information, visit www.dgwoodlands.org.uk or follow us on social media.
Species on the Edge is a bold and ambitious partnership of eight nature conservation organisations in Scotland, all working together to secure a future for Scotland’s most rare and vulnerable coastal wildlife. Species on the Edge is made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. For more information about Species on the Edge, visit https://speciesontheedge.co.uk/.
Image: Common Pipistrelle bat (c) Hugh Clark