Batty Batty Bat!

[Llamas]

Just borrowed a bat detector for the very first time and am having such a great time stumbling around the place at night, counting up bats! Anyone else keen on these little guys? Wondering if putting in some night flowering plants would help attract insects for them.

[DaveJ]

I'm a fan of bats as well and regulary have some visiting the garden. To help attract bats you need to encourage moths and other night flying insects in the garden so plant night scented flowers such as honeysuckle or tobacco plant. Also have a pond as the bats not only skim the surface for food but also for water.

[Headfry]

Yay more batty grapes....Mr HF gave me a fab detector for Christmas and I love it!!!!
We have booked on to a bat walk later in the year and cant wait.
What one have you been using Llamas?
Ponds.....our bats spend ages swooping over my and next doors ponds!

[Llamas]

I've borrowed a Stag BatBox III from uni. Heavy hinting has commenced for one in this years stocking.
How big of a pond? OH has sunken a massive 10,000 litre trough for the ducks, maybe I'll check that out tonight.

[Headfry]

Our pond is small, next doors pond is average for a garden.
any water that will attract mosquitoes and other insects will help. I wanted to go and 'listen' last night but it was so COLD - only about 6deg at 9pm!!!!!! what is the weather doing? ......still my hedgehogs were in the garden snuffling around, they seem to know when it's feeding time.....or it seem that they do?
nature is fantastic

[vixfinn]

I just googled BatBox, bat detector etc and they seem very expensive. Can any of you tell me whats the average price? Or recommend a cheap one? I think I must be looking at professional, top of the range stuff!
We have a small colony of bats living in the neighbours roof.

[Flummery]

You can get circuit diagram to make a bat detector. Our lad is a member of the Yorkshire Bat Group and the Mammal Society. We've had injured bats here to look after. The worst bit's decapitating live meal worms so they don't end up all round your living room!

I love them. Next door's have them in their roof space. Don't let on! We have them in the village church too.

[vixfinn]

We have a bat group in Bath, we keep meaning to go on one of their batwalks but for some reason we haven't got round to it yet. I think the circuit board idea may be a bit too advanced for me, I'm the most technical person in the house and I can't even wire a plug!!

[Llamas]

They do seem expensive, I think there are some for about £65, which appears to be the relativly cheaper ones. A friend came over to do an emergence survey and tactfully mentioned the ones from work were about £1000! They really don't look it do they? Like something out of a happy meal.

Headfry, I did something similiar the other night. Went out with all my id sheets and pen and paper, bundled with a cup of tea (and maybe a dash of something stronger;P) and was back in huddled by the woodstove within 5 min. Decided to leave it to another night.

[Jeanied]

The bats don't like it cold either! They hunt for the night flying insects so any perfumed flowers that stay open at night are a good idea. One of my favourites is sweet rocket - hesperis matronalis - one year I grew loads from seed to sell at the bat group fundraiser.

[Solebay Diamond]

I am very keen on bats. We have several around here and its lovely to watch them. There are several ponds and a small lake at the farm where I keep the horses. The bats fly around the horses and catch the mozzies etc and the horses seem pretty grateful (I am too as it means I have less fly spray to buy!)
I went to Wales a couple of years ago to try and see the Horseshoe Bats.
Minsmere do a good Bat tour. We done the Moth and Bat tour and it was amazing. I was blown away by the shear numbers and different species around us. Well reccomended.