Managing landscapes for the greater horseshoe bat working today for nature tomorrow Managing landscapes for the greater horseshoe bat The greater horseshoe bat is one of Britain's rarest bats, with a total population of perhaps only 5,000 individuals. Numbers have declined significantly throughout northern Europe during this century and, in Britain, probably only 14 populations now survive, centred around summer maternity roosts in south-west England and south Wales. Lifestyle and habitat most important components of A landscape of permanent pasture requirements their diet. and ancient woodland, linked with an abundance of tall bushy hedges, • One of Britain’s largest bats, with • The most important prey items is the ideal habitat for greater a wingspan of about 36cm (14”) change throughout the summer horseshoes. This type of landscape and weigh up to 30g (11/4oz.). with breeding females depending provides the bats with both their on beetles from April to June insect food and the linear features • The distinctive horseshoe and then moths from June to such as woodland edges and hedges nose-leaf helps to focus the beam August. which they use as flight paths. of ultrasound that the bat uses to They forage by hawking low over ‘see’ in the dark. • Beetles, particularly one species pasture and by ‘fly catching’ from of dung beetle, Aphodius rufipes, feeding posts which are usually the • Bats are very long-lived compared are an especially important food lower branches of hedgerow or to other small mammals and source for young bats. Cow pats woodland edge trees. This means greater horseshoes can live for up are necessary in the life cycle of that the structure of the farmed to 30 years. these beetles, acting as both a landscape around the maternity food source and habitat for the roosts is important, in addition to an • All the breeding females from a larvae. Up to 100 larvae can be abundant supply of insect food. population gather together in early found in a single cow pat and this summer to form a maternity beetle is at its most abundant in Although the protection of colony, where they give birth and early August when the young bats important roosts and hibernation raise their single young. begin their first feeding flights. sites is important, the effective conservation of the greater • The babies are born in June or • Late in August and through horseshoe bat depends on the July and are generally weaned and September, craneflies are eaten management of the farmed independent by the end of August. by all the bats as they fatten up landscape around maternity roosts for hibernation. and other sites used by the bats. • The maternity roosts are usually found in old buildings, Conservation The best way of promoting the occasionally in caves or recovery of the species is a whole abandoned mines. Feeding areas around the maternity farm approach, by adopting the roosts are specially important for the sensitive management of the land • During the winter the bats bats, providing food during the with assistance through schemes hibernate in caves, abandoned spring and summer months for such as Countryside Stewardship. pregnant and lactating females as mines or other underground places. Dung beetle Aphodius rufipes, an important food for well as for the young on their early bats in late summer. Roger Key/English Nature • They are faithful to their foraging flights. Neither breeding traditional summer and winter females nor young can fly as far as roosts, returning to the same sites non-breeding adults, which range year after year. over a wide area, so a good feeding area within a radius of about 4km • Greater horseshoe bats feed on a around the maternity roosts is variety of insects, but cockchafers, critical for the long-term survival of dung beetles and moths are the the population. Pasture Woodland, parkland and old orchards • Retain existing grazed permanent pasture and create further areas of • Woodlands should contain botanically diverse pasture to promote grassy rides and glades, high densities of insect prey. managed without insecticides. Foraging bats need glades at • Maintain pasture as small fields least 10 to 15 metres across. separated by substantial hedges Coppice coupes should be containing larger trees; minimise small, to provide the maximum insecticide use against cutworms, woodland edge habitat. wireworms and leatherjackets to avoid disrupting insect life cycles. • Promote the development of a parkland landscape by planting • Avoid chain-harrowing, scarifying or additional standard trees in rolling permanent pasture. pasture areas (but do not plant trees or shrubs on unimproved • Grazing regimes should be or semi-improved pasture sympathetic to insect food production without seeking conservation and keep pasture in good condition. advice). Newly planted trees High stocking densities (up to 2-3 should be adequately guarded cattle or 11-16 sheep per hectare) against stock damage and should be maintained within 1km of managed to grow well maternity roosts during July and developed crowns. August, with stock rotated between fields rather than ranched throughout • Old orchards, with rows of the farm to help control parasites. mature fruit trees over a grazed under storey, can be valuable • Manage stock without the use of hunting areas for bats, provided wormers based on Avermectin insecticide use is restricted. compounds (eg. Ivermectin) as such chemicals remain active in the dung, • Retain existing mature ancient preventing colonisation by dung semi-natural deciduous beetles. woodland and create further blocks of deciduous woodland, Hedges shelter belts or small woods adjacent to grazed pasture. • Replant or reinstate hedgerows and Areas of high conservation tree lines across large open areas of value, such as unimproved permanent pasture, linking with grassland, should not be existing hedges and woodland blocks converted to woodland. to improve the network of flight paths. New hedges should be broad (3-6m • Large old trees (‘veteran trees’) across) with an average height of 3m. are particularly valuable to a Hedgerow trees should be dotted along wide range of wildlife, including the length of the hedge. bats. Try to retain these wherever possible, seeking specialist advice • Maintain all hedges, managing them to where necessary. create tall, bushy structures, ideally with a broad base of between 3 and 6 Marshy and aquatic habitats metres to provide sheltered flight paths for bats. Leave mature trees and • Retain existing and, where encourage young saplings to grow on appropriate, create new areas into hedgerow trees to provide shelter of marshy and aquatic habitats, and feeding perches. such as ponds, to support good populations of craneflies and • Leave uncultivated arable field other insects. Avoid areas of margins adjacent to hedgerows to high conservation value for provide insect food for the bats. creating ponds. Managing landscapes for the greater horseshoe bat Other environmental benefits Further advice and information can be obtained from: In addition to helping the recovery of populations of the English Nature offices Hampshire Countryside Council greater horseshoe bat, a key & Isle of Wight for Wales offices species in the UK Biodiversity Advice about bat conservation 1 Southampton Road Action Plan, the management of Lyndhurst Advice about bats and Tir Gofal the farmed landscape according Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Hampshire SO43 7BU to these prescriptions will Trevint House Tel: 023 8028 6410 West Area produce many other wider Strangways Villas Plas Gogerddan environmental benefits. For Truro TR1 2PA Dorset Aberystwyth example, the hedgerow Left: A hibernating greater horseshoe bat. These can Tel: 01872 265710 Slepe Farm, Arne Ceredigion SY23 3EE be found in caves, abandoned mines or buildings. prescriptions will benefit a wide Tony Mitchell-Jones/English Nature Wareham BH20 5BN Tel: 01970 821100 range of declining farmland Devon Tel: 01929 557450 Below: A typical South Cotswold Farm, Gloucestershire. birds such as the linnet. Paul Glendell/English Nature 22,945 Level 2 South Wales Area Renslade House Somerset and Gloucestershire Unit 4, Castleton Court This approach will also help Bonhay Road Roughmoor Fortran Road with the maintenance of a Exeter EX4 3AW Bishop’s Hull St Mellons landscape characterised by Tel: 01392 889770 Taunton TA1 5AA Cardiff CF3 0LT small pasture fields, hedges, Tel: 01823 283211 Tel: 02920 772400 woodland blocks, parkland and Hereford, other semi-natural features & Worcestershire Countryside Stewardship Scheme Woodland Grant Scheme typical of much of south-west Bronsil House England. Many of these Eastnor nr Ledbury Advice about the Countryside Advice about the Woodland landscape features are part of Herefordshire HR8 1EP Stewardship Scheme can be Grant Scheme can be obtained from our historic heritage and also Tel: 01531 638500 obtained from the Department for your local Forestry Commission support other wildlife Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. office. interests. Rough grassland can be particularly rich in insects such as cockchafers, but grazed pasture is an important source of dung beetles. A mosaic of grazed pasture and woodland linked by tall hedges provides the ideal habitat for greater horseshoe bats. (Photo taken from Haresfield Beacon, Gloucestershire). Paul Glendell/English Nature 22,947 (Photo taken in the Slad Valley, Gloucestershire). Peter Wakely/English Nature 19,330 Managing landscapes for the greater horseshoe bat English Nature is the Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England. This is one of a range of publications published by: External Relations Team English Nature Northminster House Peterborough PE1 1UA www.english-nature.org.uk © English Nature 2000/2003 Printed on Evolution Satin, 75% recycled post-consumer waste paper, Elemental Chlorine Free. ISBN 1 85716 536 5 Catalogue code IN9.9 Designed and Printed by Status Design & Advertising, Front cover photograph: Greater horseshoe bat in flight. 2M, 3M. Stephen Dalton/NHPA.