🦇 It's #NationalMammalWeek! Did you know there are 18 species of bat in the UK, 17 of which are known to be breeding here - that's almost a quarter of our mammal species.
Learn more about all our species here: www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w... .
Do you have a favourite? Let us know!
Bats in the UK eat only insects (some eat spiders too), but bats elsewhere also dine on frogs, fruit, other bats, nectar from flowers, blood, pollen and fish. Some bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt, while others rely on smell and vision to find food.
Image: Jim Jourdane
🦇 We have some amazing people taking on challenges and raising funds for bats this year:
- Stephen, Davina and Anita are running the TCS London Marathon in just 2 weeks
- Our very own Fundraising Officer, Eleanor, is braving a tandem skydive!!
Learn more and donate: www.bats.org.uk/support-bats...
We support @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social letter to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs asking the government to tackle the nature crisis by accelerating policies for nature recovery. www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/its-tim...
📣 Organisations across the sector are joining us at The Wild Summit!
On 9th September, The Wildlife Trust's will be bringing their expert knowledge and running an exciting event at the summit.
Will you be joining?
Argyll & Islands Youth Bat Council Launch Event, Online, 5 May
Introducing the Argyll and Islands Youth Bat Council! Seo agad Comhairle Òigridh nan Ialtagan ann an Earra-Ghàidheal ’s sna h-Eileanan! speciesontheedge.co.uk/events/argyl...
Arrived early for the @batconservation.bsky.social SW 🦇 Conference. PippyG left on the front of the van last night. Greater Horseshoe and Barbastelle bats using the hedgerow of the campsite is a nice bonus.
🦇 It's #NationalMammalWeek! Did you know there are 18 species of bat in the UK, 17 of which are known to be breeding here - that's almost a quarter of our mammal species.
Learn more about all our species here: www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w... .
Do you have a favourite? Let us know!
Bat box checks with London Bat Group was a success! We found 1 Leisler’s bat and nine Brown long-eared bats.
Photo of a bat on a tree with text 5 asks 1. Keep legal protection for all bat species and improve its implementation 2. Make all new development species-friendly 3. Deploy climate change mitigation in harmony with nature 4. Support long-term nature-friendly farming through agricultural schemes 5. Improve wildlife crime recording, investigation and prosecution
Our bat manifesto is now available in Welsh and Gaelic too. Freely available to download and share, use it to raise awareness and start conversations with politicians of all colours. Our vision is of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together www.bats.org.uk/news/2026/04...
🦇 Only one week to go until our brave marathon runners take part in the TCS London Marathon My Way!! A huge thank you to Stephen, Davina and Anita for taking part and raising funds for bats.
Cheer them on and donate: www.bats.org.uk/support-bats....
- British bats, their ecology and conservation. Online over 6 weeks starting on 10 June.
All these and more can be booked here: www.bats.org.uk/events
- Endoscopes and trees bootcamp. In person at Windsor Great Park on 19 May.
- Combined Bats and Arboriculture course. In person at Tatton Park, Cheshire on the afternoon of the 1 June and the whole day on 2 June.
www.bats.org.uk/events
- Bat emergence surveys with night vision aids launch webinar. Online on 30 April.
- Scoping surveys for Arborists. Online over two afternoons on 30 April and 7 May.
- How to run a bat walk. Online over two evenings on 18 and 25 May.
www.bats.org.uk/events
🦇 The bat calendar keeps filling up! Here are some highlights for the next few months:
- Bat Tracking Methodologies Panel discussion 2: lessons from the field. Online on 20 April.
- South West of England Bat Conference. Online and in person at North Devon College on 25 April.
www.bats.org.uk/events
🦇 Everything you need to know about the Bat Conservation Trust's Nocturnal Garden at #RHSChelsea Flower Show can be found here: www.bats.org.uk/our-work/noc....
From the design inspiration, a plant list, the sculpture Dark Amber and more!
Thank you to Project Giving Back for sponsoring the garden.
🦇 Becoming a member of the bat conservation trust is a great way to start learning more about bats and supporting our vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Individual membership is only £3.25/month: www.bats.org.uk/membership/s...
Gather with friends and family at dusk and enjoy each other's company while looking for bats in the night sky. Take part in the sunset survey, find out more here www.bats.org.uk/our-work/nat...
Are you seeing more bats at dusk? A sure sign spring is here! We are working to make sure that future generations can also enjoy this experience.
If you share our vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together, become a member today www.bats.org.uk/support-bats...
Newly published research from @unileiden.bsky.social - Bats on a break: tracking the secret life of pond bats www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2026...
Thank you 😍
Thank you so much for joining Adrian! Welcome to BCT :)
#batappreciationday – VWT supports bats using evidence-based conservation to create a variety of roosts for bats with safe places to raise young, hibernate and help to connect isolated populations. A network of existing and new roosts is vital for supporting bats. Find out more at vwt.org.uk
🦇 Happy #BatAppreciationDay! Bats matter across the UK and around the world. Bat species play a vital role in ecosystems, from agricultural land to tropical forests. They pollinate plants, disperse seeds and eat insects which damage crops.
More about why bats matter: www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w...
🦇 We’re delighted to launch our Connecting People and Landscapes Community Grant Scheme, supporting community groups - particularly underserved communities - based in Devon near our focus farm areas.
Grants of up to £500 are available: www.devoncommunities.org.uk/small-grants...
Gather with friends and family at dusk and enjoy each other's company while looking for bats in the night sky. Take part in the sunset survey, find out more here www.bats.org.uk/our-work/nat...
Are you seeing more bats at dusk? A sure sign spring is here! We are working to make sure that future generations can also enjoy this experience.
If you share our vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together, become a member today www.bats.org.uk/support-bats...
Photo of a bat on a tree with text 5 asks 1. Keep legal protection for all bat species and improve its implementation 2. Make all new development species-friendly 3. Deploy climate change mitigation in harmony with nature 4. Support long-term nature-friendly farming through agricultural schemes 5. Improve wildlife crime recording, investigation and prosecution
Our bat manifesto is now available in Welsh and Gaelic too. Freely available to download and share, use it to raise awareness and start conversations with politicians of all colours. Our vision is of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together www.bats.org.uk/news/2026/04...
🦇New post on Substack! Melanie Hick, designer of the Bat Conservation Trust's Nocturnal Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, shares her inspiration for the garden and how she fell in love with bats.
Read it here: batconservationtrust.substack.com/p/my-garden-...
Are you taking part in the #dayofaction? Don't forget to take photos of your event and share them here: vote-for-nature.org/gallery
