The course, run by the Bat Conservation Trust, encourages surveyors to consider the possibility of bat roosts in buildings. Bats are a protected species, so due diligence at the beginning of a project can avoid any unnecessary delays before starting works.
The course covered bat biology & ecology, bats in buildings, legalisation and assessing potential impacts of the works. It also included a fieldwork task to complete and luckily Murray Birrell’s Director, Stuart Birrell was able to help!
Stuart’s house happens to have a large Soprano Pipistrelle Maternity Roost at the moment. The bats are in the roof void and are attracted to the warm south-facing wall and the ideal hunting ground surrounding the property.
Rory was able to test out the bat detector on these ones as well as other areas to locate more bats.
There are over 1,400 species of bats in the world, and more are still being discovered. Bats account for more than a quarter of mammal species in the UK and around 20% of all mammal species worldwide.
For more information on bats, visit: https://www.bats.org.uk/
