#NatBatConf

An image taken from the back of an audience. Briony is reading from a book in front of Durham Cathedral - a huge gothic building. It is night time but the building is illuminated by lights. Briony is stood in the dark and has a torch to illuminate her book. She looks tiny compared to the cathedral

A photograph taken from the floor of a woodland. There are a group of people in the shot having a conversation, sat in somewhat of a semicircle. A few are sat on the ground, two on a fallen log, and another against a tree

Thank you to @batconservationtrust for such an energizing weekend at the #NatBatConf 🦇 The collective passion, knowledge, and pure joy at the conference was inspiring!

While up at Durham for @batconservation.bsky.social #NatBatConf I obviously had to check out Durham Cathedral (it’s been on my list of places to visit for years!). A massive thank you to Melissa, who facilitated my visit and shared her knowledge of this beautiful place with me 🥰🦇

Had an incredible time at the @batconservation.bsky.social
National Bat Conference this year! Amazing people, talks and workshops 🥰🦇

I also got loads of goodies 😏😌 @emmaillustrate.bsky.social @batability.bsky.social @wildlifeacoustics.com @wildcare.eu #NatBatConf

Daniel sharing a presentation on lesser horseshoe bats. He is stood at the front of a room with people sat at desks.

Daniel sharing a slide about the Vincent Wildlife Trust and how it started.

A 3D model of a landscape with human and natural features: houses, a road, rocks, tree and farmland.

Danielle Hargreaves of the @vincentwt.bsky.social talking all things lesser horseshoe bat at #NatBatConf! I did a roost emergence survey of this species in Wales and it was amazing. They are such agile flyers! He also brought along a teaching and planning tool - a 3D model of a ...cont...

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Really interesting talk by Henry Schofield. This feature of lesser horseshoe bats was found quite by accident when Henry's team were using powder which glows under UV light to track potential roost entry points. 🦇🖤🦇

#NatBatConf

Such a great talk by Henry Schofield at the #NatBatConf and I have so many questions about this fascinating discovery!

The raffles, prizes and auctions have been announced - congratulations to all the winners. That's a wrap for the #NatBatConf 2025. What a fabulous conference it has been!

The countdown to #NatBatConf 2026 has now begun.

And for anyone on the alternative conference hashtag #NatBatConf

Who's letting Paola retire! #NatBatConf

Great closing talk by Paula Reason #NatBatConf

A call from Paula Reason to use professional judgement to make better decisions #NatBatConf

The Bat Survey Guidelines are exactly that, guidelines. They are not prescriptive, it requires professional knowledge and experience to be used effectively #NatBatConf

#NatBatConf things have changed for those involved in bat conservation over the years

Education as well as research has been vital to bat conservation, something that Paula Reason has been doing for a long time #NatBatConf

The final talk of #NatBatConf is by Paula Reason reflecting on 30 years of being a bat consultant #NatBatConf

The preultimate talk of the #NatBatConf is Lucy Morrison from the University of Chester the BATMAN Project. Lucy is looking at Assessing the impact of Anthropogenic disturbance on the welfare of lesser horseshoe bats through non-invasive techniques www.chester.ac.uk/about/news/a...

Henry Schofield asked questions about florescence in lesser horseshoe bats which is only found in adult bats! #NatBatConf Greater horseshoes and other horseshoe species do not appear to florescence!

Fluorescent bats!! #NatBatConf

UV florescence is found in many insects species but also vertebrates such as birds and mammals, including bats. The race is on to understand why #NatBatConf

Henry Schofield from @sussex.ac.uk opens the final session of the #NatBatConf talking about the remarkable discovery of florescence in lesser horseshoe #bats

The #NatBatConf 2025 conference photo. Thanks to all our delegates, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors (Thermal Vision and @wildlifeacoustics.com)

Encouraging use of drone technology for bat surveys of complex buildings, lots of safety considerations but revealing results #NatBatConf

Final talk of the morning at #NatBatConf is from @annibinet.bsky.social talking about seasonal variation in bat activity levels at underground sites in Jersey

Considerations when using drones for bat survey #NatBatConf

Drones with thermal imaging can help survey and monitor complex buildings and structures that have complex potential roost features. Saving time and money. #NatBatConf

Giles Coe is sharing his findings of using drones with thermal imaging to monitor bat roosts. #NatBatConf

Habitat destruction and fragmentation is driving biodiversity decline. Dillan Hoyt has been looking at the impact of fragmentation on bats in the model system of Panama canal with sampling happening 20 years apart! #NatBatConf

Dillan Hoyt from @ox.ac.uk talking about: Using a land-bridge island systems to investigate the long-term responses of bats to forest fragmentation #NatBatConf

The second day of #NatBatConf kicks off with a talk from Oli Aylen from University of New South Wales talking about Arid zone bats and fenced conservation reserves. Oli was the 2023 Kate Barlow Award winner. The research will be published soon. www.bats.org.uk/our-work/awa...

Rochelle presenting in a lecture theatre.

Diagram with possible factors to influence bats such as hedgerows and landscape diversity.

Rochelle Kennedy presented her PhD research comparing mixed and arable farming - which is best for bats? Findings will be published soon! #NatBatConf

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