Bats on Cloudforest One
Recently we took the bat detector out into the darkness of Cloudforest One, to see what species of bat we could hear along the hedgerows and at the entrance to the wider forest.
There are 9 different species of bat that live and breed here in Ireland, and I was delighted to hear several of them within just a few minutes!
A spectogram of Natterer's Bat (we think!) along the tree line on Cloudforest One recorded 29th August 2024 using an Echo Meter Touch 2. Turn your sound up!
As usual, the Leisler’s Bat (Nyctalus leisleri) was first out of the post. Our biggest bat, the Leisler’s Bat wingspan is up to 320 mm and their body length is between 50 and 70 mm (about the width of your 4 fingers) - so when I say biggest, they’re still pretty small! Leislers can be spotted as dusk falls, flying above the tree line in search of their breakfast. Leisler bats call frequency ranges between 15 and 45kHz, with a peak at 25kHz.
We recorded plenty of Common PIpistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) bats too - these are the most frequently encountered bats in Ireland. Common Pipistrelles are 35 -45 mm in length with a wingspan of 200 - 235 mm, while Sopranos are even smaller, with a body length of 29 - 34 mm (about the tip of your thumb!) and a wingspan of just 190 - 230mm. Pipistrelles mainly feed on small flies and midges, and a single pip can eat thousands of insects in just one night! Common pipistrelle call frequency ranges between 45 and 70kHz, with 45kHz being the peak, while Sopranos range between 55 and 80kHz, with peak intensity at 55kHz.
We were also surprised to record what we think was a Natterer’s Bat (Myotis nattereri) flying along the mature hedgerow in the darkest area to the rear of the barn. The Natterer’s Bat is one of our rarer bats, and to be honest, its call frequency is very like other Myotis bat species - so we’re open to correction on this one! Natterer’s Bats have a wingspan of between 245 mm and 300mm, and their body length is between 40 and 50 mm long! The Natterer Bat’s diet consists mostly of midges, as well as small moths, spiders, lacewings and other small insects. Their call frequency ranges from 35 to 80kHz.
References and further reading:
https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/what-are-bats/uk-bats
https://www.batconservationireland.org/irish-bats
