This week some of our ecologists undertook a bat hibernation survey of a Derbyshire cave to assist Derbyshire Bat Group with their winter surveys. This cave is surveyed each winter as part of a long term study looking at bats using underground sites in the Peak District. 34 bats of four species were found during the survey which is a very high count for a single underground site in the Peak District and included some reasonable clusters of bats like this mixed group of Daubenton’s and whiskered/Brandt’s bats. A bit of teamwork was needed to help get people into various bits of the system and to deal with the slippery conditions. Some of the team are working towards gaining their bat survey licences and used the session to improve their bat ID skills, as well as improving their skin with some good old Derbyshire mud!