Sometimes, bat workers catch bats humanely to understand more about their ecology and distribution. We do this using either mist nets (similar to those used by bird ringers) or a device called a Harp Trap, which is a frame of tensioned vertical nylon strings which the bats fly into and slide down into a catch bag underneath unharmed. Two of our staff are designing a new harp trap as a private commercial venture and as part of the testing procedure they have a specific licence from Natural England to trap bats to test the evolving design. Last night (Thursday 3rd August) they undertook a trapping session in our parkland grounds at Lockington Hall. We knew from previous surveys using bat detectors that there was a good amount of activity but we were surprised to catch 21 bats of 5 species! Of particular interest was a high number of juvenile and post-lactating adult female whiskered bats which suggests that there is a maternity roost somewhere in the village. This brings the total number of confirmed bat species in the Hall grounds up to six:
- whiskered bat
- natterer’s bat
- noctule bat
- common pipistrelle bat
- soprano pipistrelle bat
- brown long-eared bat
To find out more about bat surveys, including advanced trapping techniques, head to our bat surveys page.
