Pest suppression services of insectivorous #bats 🦇 in intensively managed arable land benefit from adjacent near-natural areas www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #farming #biodiversity #naturebasedsolution

Finding some bat species are photoluminescent in ultraviolet is one remarkable discovery for 2025. We had a feature on this in Spring 2025 issue of our membership magazine, Bat News. To discover more about #bats 🦇 and help bat conservation join today www.bats.org.uk/support-bats... #BatYearReview

Looking for a new start in 2026? We are recruiting for three great job opportunities. Come and join the team and help achieve our vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Deadline for applying is 12th January 2026. To find out more: www.bats.org.uk/the-trust/jo... 🦇

🦇 There are things you can do all year round to help bats, even in winter when they are hibernating: buff.ly/2HkKSuq . The lovely image below is from our 'Stars of the Night' leaflet which you can download for free here: buff.ly/40yR5f3

What 🦇 goodies did you all get for Chrimbo this year? 🦇🖤🦇 #bats #lovebats #Britishbats

Positive 🦇 story! #bats #lovebats #conservation #nature #naturalhistory www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Day 25 #BatMas: Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale)🦇🌎🧪 A species found in the Mediterranean & Balkan peninsula, these bats prefer karst formations, broadleaved woodlands & olive groves! When giving birth, females will congregate in maternity roosts of 50 - 400 females 📸: Ivan Kuzmin

Day 24 #BatMas: Giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus)🦇🌎🧪 Next up is the largest bat in the world: weighing ~1.4 kg (3.1lb) & has a wingspan ~1.6m (5.2 ft) across! However, due to deforestation & poaching, this species is listed as Endangered through the IUCN. 📸: Shakhar Nath

Merry Batmas everyone! 🧑‍🎄🖤🦇

Day 23 #BatMas: Bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai)🦇🌎🧪🐝 The smallest bat in the world (and possibly mammal) – this species is about 29–33mm (~1.3 in) long & weighs up to 2g (0.07oz). This species can be found in Thailand, but is listed by the IUCN as near-threatened 📸: Yushi Keiko Osawa

Day 22 #BatMas: Christmas Island pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi) 🦇🌎🧪 This bat inhabited Christmas Island, Australia, but faced dramatic declines in the 1990’s & was declared Extinct in 2009. It is one of 12 bat extinctions since 1500 with more species critically endangered. 📸: Lindy Lumsden

Day 21 #BatMas: Pipistrellus etula🦇🌎🧪 A species discovered this year (2025) in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea – this species brings the official count of bats to 1,500 total species! The name ‘etula’ means island or nation in the language of the Bubi people of Bioko Island 📸: Ferard Carbonell

Day 20 #BatMas: Ussuri tube-nosed bat (Murina ussuriensis)🦇🌎🧪 In the spring & autumn, bats roost in piles of dead leaves. However, in the winter, bats will hibernate in the snow which the bats dig into by themself. These holes will provide a stable temperature for the bats 📸: Yushi & Keiko Osawa

Day 19 #BatMas: Black bonneted bat (Eumops auripendulus)🦇🌎🧪 The adult males have a saccular organ on their throat which may release pheromones. Adult females have the same organ but its vestigial. The females are polyestrous meaning they reproduce multiple times a year 📸: uriosylvain (iNaturalist)

🦇🖤🦇 Thank you all for the amazing job you do. Xxx #batcare ##britishbats #lovebats #bats

Dec 18 #BatMas: Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) 🦇🌎🧪 Living up to its name, this species feeds on fruits - like mangoes and avocadoes, but mainly figs (making up to 78% of their diet). When eating, they fly to new locations, sometimes carrying up to 50g of fruit! 📸: Leyo

Day 17 #BatMas: Egyptian mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma cystops) A species found in North Africa & Middle East, these bats form groups of a few individuals or about one thousand bats. They roost either in caves or human-made structures & have been reported roosting in pyramids! 📸: Bruce Thomson

Day 16 #BatMas: Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)🦇🌎🧪 They can fly at very high altitudes (around 3,300 m) & have the record for the fastest horizontal speed of any animal - ground speeds over 160km/h! Up to 1.5 million roost under a bridge in Austin, Texas too! 📸: Micheal Durham

Day 15 #BatMas: Sooty moustached bat (Pteronotus quadridens)🦇🌎🧪 A species with a very unique name, you can find these bats in countries like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Hati & Puerto Rico. They have some natural predators like the America kestrel, red-tailed hawk, and merlin 📸: Joaquin Ugarte

Day 14 #BatMas: Northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus)🦇🌎🧪 This bat is relatively rare, but can be found in South America, Trinidad & Central America. They have a sac at the base of their tail which may release pheromones during the mating season, but the actual function is unknown. 📸: Merlin Tuttle

Day 13 #BatMas: Large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus))🦇🌎🧪 This species is one of the largest bats in the world - weighing up to 1.1kg & having a wingspan of 1.5m! The IUCN listed this species as Endangered since their population is declining due to the bushmeat trade & habitat loss. 📸: Andrea Janda

Day 12 #BatMas: Patricia's disk-winged bat (Thyroptera wynneae)🦇🌎🧪 A new species discovered in 2014, it is 1 of 5 species that have suction cups on their thumbs & hind feet, helping them cling onto leaves. They can also be identified by the tricolour hairs on its underbelly 📸: Velazco et al. 2014

Day 11 #BatMas: Mexican fish-eating bat (Myotis vivesi)🦇🌎🧪 As its name suggest, this bat feeds mainly on marine fish or crustaceans! It hunts by using their large feet, which can be 2 cm long (about 15% total body length!). It is one of the largest species in the genus Myotis! 📸: Stefan Greif

Day 10 #BatMas: Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)🦇🌎🧪 This species is found only in the southeastern US & prefers to roost in mature forests. Bats have ears that are over 2.5 cm (1 inch long)! Although they eat a range of insects, they primarily feed on moths. 📸: Michael Durham

🦇 Our advice pages are there to answer the most widely asked questions we get. From what to do if you find a bat to making your garden more bat friendly: www.bats.org.uk/advice

🦇 news! "Bats bend the usual rules of aging." #bats #lovebats #conservation #nature phys.org/news/2025-12...

🦇Interested in a bat-related PhD? 👇 Using genomics to understand bat population declines under global environmental change with @orlyrazgour.bsky.social , @bfraser.bsky.social l and BCT, based at the University of Exeter. Application deadline 8 January 2026: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

🦇#NewVideo! An update on white-nose syndrome in Alberta and the application of probiotics for the first time (outside of the initial experiment). We will try to keep updating on this story. The plan is to return to this site in spring for bat capture & assessment. youtu.be/PU2ZnUvwvVY?...

Day 9 #BatMas: Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) 🦇🌎🧪 While most bats species give birth to only one pup per year, eastern red’s give birth to about 3 pups on average – with the most being 5 pups! The pups will stay with their mom until they’re weaned at about 1 month of age. 📸: Josh Henderson

Day 8 #BatMas: Sulawesi fruit bat (Acerodon celebenesis) 🦇🌎🧪 A species found in Indonesia & classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable due to unstainable levels of hunting. They're frugivores, feeding mainly on coconuts and breadfuits – but also act as pollinators for these plants! 📸: Scott Heinrichs

Great resource thread 🧵 here for people preparing their response to their councils Local Nature Recovery Strategy👇🦇

As the weather gets consistently cooler and/or more miserable the #bats are tucking themselves away for hibernation. But, unlike bears, they don't typically sleep the entire winter away, typically waking periodically to adjust position, change roosts, or for a drink and snack in milder periods 🦇

🦇 Did you know there is a rainforest in Wales? Our Wales Woodland Wonders project is learning more the health of these rare woodlands and the bats that call this habitat home. Find out more here:

Beautiful 🦇 Been lucky enough to take part in emergence surveys of this bat species in North Wales.

🦇 Please continue supporting our #ChristmasChallenge campaign! Until the 9 December (midday) every donation up to £10K will be DOUBLED at no extra cost to you: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05... .

Day 6 #BatMas: Greater false vampire bat (Lyroderma lyra) 🦇🌎🧪 Being a highly carnivorous species – these bats will eat other bats, birds, reptiles and fish. To catch their prey, they use either short searching flights, or they use a sit-and-wait strategy to capture their prey. 📸: gdevender

Day 5 #BatMas: Pied butterfly bat (Glauconycteris superba) 🦇🌎🧪 This bat is very rare! It’s been captured a few of times, but after the 5th time, the species was put in the genus ‘Niumbaha’, named after the Zande word for ‘rare’. However, it is now part of the genus ‘Glauconycteris’ 📸: Jacob Fahr

🦇 news. Bats have fascinating immune systems. Well worth a read! #bats #lovebats #nature #wildlife

🦇 in the news. #bats #lovebats #nature #wildlife scitechdaily.com/meet-the-tin...

Throwback to the Allen's big-eared bat that came to us. Arizona is home to many remarkable ears. 🦇 #bats #arizona #wildanimals

Day 4 #BatMas: Proboscis bat (Rhynchonycteris naso)🦇🌎🧪 A species characterized by its elongated peaked nose & white stripes on its back – these bats also have a distinct fur colouration that allows it to blend in with tree bark with other bats, protecting it from predators. 📸: Karin Schneeberger

🦇 Every now and again, our National Bat Helpline deals with peculiar cases. This one was too good not to share with you - keep reading! batconservationtrust.substack.com/p/bats-at-sea

Day 3 #BatMas: Ghost-faced bat (Mormoops megalophylla)🦇🌎🧪 A species with a VERY distinctive face due to flaps of skin, a poorly developed nose, large round ears & red/brown fur that darkens as they age. They roost in large colonies but stay about 15cm from one another! 📸: José F. Martínez-Fonesca

Day 2 #BatMas: X: Desert long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii)🦇🌎🧪 A species in North Africa & Middle East, these bats use echolocation to find scorpions (including the highly venomous deathstalker) which the bats catch & eat. The bats are considered immune to the venom! 📸: Christian Dietz

Bats, lime kilns, caves, mines, hibernation, autumn swarming and #fieldworkfriday 🦇 in the Yorkshire Dales. Didn’t realise I’d mentioned your name quite so many times @johnaltringham.bsky.social

Day 1 #BatMas: Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)🦇🌎🧪 This species is an important seed disperser of many plants – which includes those which produce loquat, figs and dates! The bats can eat anywhere from 50 to 150% of their body weight in fruit per evening! 📸: Seregraff/Getty Images

🦇 December is here! Bats are hibernating. They may roost on their own or in small groups, often in cool, quiet places like disused buildings, old trees or caves, where they hopefully won't be disturbed.

🦇 Bat box scheme in old quarry phenomenally successful for pipistrelle sp. and has also attracted occasional long-eared bats. But yesterday we all did happy dances when we found a Noctule bat in a "small hollow" box, 4.5m up beech tree, good flight lines. #lovebats #greenwoodsecohabitats

New OA 🦇 research 📄 Managing hedgerows for biodiversity: Disentangling the effects of trimming, structure and connectivity on the use of linear features by bats besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Species on the Edge. Echoes & Whispers - Explore the world of bats 🦇 in this six-part podcast, a creative evaluation piece by @steverutt.bsky.social and Claire Todd. Thanks to @lotterygoodcauses.bsky.social speciesontheedge.co.uk/echoes-whisp...