- The average Bat's year - late autumn to late spring is hibernation but they will come out to look for a drink or food if necessary. Maternity roost begin forming in May. A single pup is born in early July (rarely twins) and by three weeks the pups are begining to fly, they will start to leave the roost to forage at 5 weeks (Mid August). The males live on their own or in small roosts and seek out the females in spring and autumn.
There are 17 breeding species of UK Bats - one of which was only confirmed at the start of 2010 with records for a further13 non breeding species which include 5 American species
Bats will fly through out the year but February is the month you are least likely to see a bat
Bat watchers also get to see Owls, Badgers, Foxes and Otters
Horseshoe Bats are more closely related to Fruit Bats than Vespers Bats
ALL Bats and their roosts are protected by UK and European law
- The biggest "roost" is of straw coloured fruit bats, that assemble in numbers of 5 to 10 million in Kasanka National Park, Central Zambia from October to January - during which time it is estimates they eat 262,000 tonnes of fruit and distribute a lot of seeds!
- largest UK Roost is 1800 to 2000 Greater Horseshoes