Bats in Kent

The Kent Bat Group has been working to help protect the county's bats since 1983. Thirteen of Britain's 17 resident bat species have been recorded in Kent since then. This includes a number of records of Nathusius's pipistrelle, which has only recently been recognised as a breeding species in the UK. In addition a vagrant, the greater mouse-eared bat, was found in 1985.

In Kent, as elsewhere, the most abundant bats are the common and the soprano pipistrelles. They look very alike, and both can be seen hunting for insects in gardens and along hedgerows just after sunset, flying with rapid twists and turns. In summer pipistrelles sometimes roost behind hanging tiles or barge boards on the outside of houses.

The brown long-eared bat is widespread in Kent but is seen less often than the pipistrelles. It
usually lives in or near woodland and hunts near trees and hedgerows, sometimes flying slowly or hovering to take insects from leaves or grass. These bats prefer to roost in old houses with high timbered lofts, emerging after dark.

Few whiskered or Brandt's bats have been found in Kent. They emerge after nightfall and fly in open glades thus making observation difficult. Daubenton's bat and Natterer's bat both fly late in the evening.  The former usually hunts insects over water, flying rapidly just above the surface of lakes and streams. Although they are regularly found hibernating underground, few summer roosts of either species have been discovered in Kent.

Bechstein's bat, one of the UK's rarest mammals, was first found in Kent, hibernating, in 2001. A lactating female was recorded in 2010, proving this species is breeding in the county.

The much larger serotine bat favours downland areas and grassy meadows flying low to catch its prey. All known roosts in Kent are in buildings. The noctule, another large bat, flies high and fast over trees, pasture and marshy places. It is almost entirely dependent on trees for roosting. The decline of both these species gives cause for concern.

There are a few records of the Leisler's bat, one of England's rarer sped es. A close relative of the larger noctule, it flies fast, sometimes high with shallow dives, but frequently below tree-top level.

BATS IN SUMMER
Female bats gather in maternity colonies in early summer. After giving birth in June or early July, they suckle their single young for several weeks. At this time some may roost in houses, but they do not build nests or cause damage. They normally leave in late summer, when the young can fly and hunt for food.

BATS IN WINTER
All British bats eat insects. As these are scarce inwinter bats seek somewhere cool and undisturbed to hibernate. In Kent they have been found using places like chalk caves, deneholes, ice houses and disused buildings. Although small numbers hang free they
usually squeeze into cracks and crevices. The bat group has been involved in protection and
improvement of a number of such sites.

Westerham Mines bat reserve
The most important hibernation site known in Kent is Westerham Mines, where five species of bat
regularly hibernate. This disused ragstone mine is managed as a bat reserve by the Kent Wildlife Trust. All four entrances have been grilled to reduce disturbance to hibernating bats.

BATS NEED YOUR HELPI
Bat numbers are declining, due mainly to the loss of roosts and feeding creas and the increased use of pesticides. Kent is probably under greater pressure for change to the environment than anywhere else in Britain.

The Kent Bat Group works to protect and conserve bats in Kent. This includes protection or
improvement of their roosts and feeding areas.

The Group is proactive in promoting awareness of bats to the general public and to specialist groups likely to come across bats in their work.

You can join the Kent Bat Group from as little as £5 per year.

Other UK bat groups.

London Bat Group

Herts & Middlesex Bat Group

Lee Valley Bats

Sussex Bat Group
 
Norfolk Bat Group
 
Surrey Bat Group
 
Warwickshire Bat Group
 
North Yorkshire Bat Group
 
Durham Bat Group

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