Northumberland Bat Group

But a bat is just a bat, isn’t it?

Well, it’s not that simple, unfortunately. There are 17 different species of bats in the UK, and 10 of them have been found in Northumberland. All bats are protected by law and it is illegal to capture or handle them without a licence, unless it is for the purpose of treating a sick bat or to help one escape from the living quarters of a house.  

Many bats like living with humans, as our buildings provide an alternative roost site to old, dead trees and our gardens provide excellent habitat for them to feed in. Our bats are varied and live in different habitats, eating different insects. They even fly in different styles. Have a browse though the species and see what you can see on a warm summer.

In practice it is unusual for roosts to be mixed species, but if they are, the two species keep themselves to themselves in the roost!