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20 October 2008
Get ‘bat’ to nature this Hallowe’en
How you can get involved and help spooky wildlife this Autumn
Watch out for wicked wildlife and spook-tacular species in back gardens, parks and local nature reserves this Hallowe’en — Friday 31 October — says The Wildlife Trust.
The Trust is encouraging everyone to banish age-old myths and instead befriend our bats by getting to know them better and helping to protect them.
There are many myths about these unique nocturnal mammals, but the truth is they never harm children or pets; do not get entangled in long hair; will not damage paint or woodwork; and are not blind. In fact, bats perform a very useful service, devouring large numbers of insect pests. Favourite bat snacks include midges, mosquitoes, moths and small flies. They need to eat huge numbers and can get through up to 3,000 insects every night.
There are 17 species of bat in the UK but their numbers are declining, and many of them are now rare and confined to southern England, including our area. Use of pesticides and the loss of woodland, hedgerows and pastures have reduced the numbers of insects for them to eat and places for them to roost.
The Wildlife Trust has come up with a scheme to allow everyone to play a part in helping Cambridgeshire’s bats to survive - by adopting one of our rarer local species - the barbastelle bat - as a spooky Halloween gift for a loved one.
As well as bats, The Trust’s Adopt a species initiative has five other precious local native species to choose from - providing the opportunity to give a really unique gift for any occasion. For details on how you can delight a loved one or treat yourself, please visit our Adopt a species page.
You can get closer to wildlife this Hallowe'en at one of the Trust’s events for all ages, including:
Hogweeds School of Wildlife Wizardry - A Halloween wildlife walk for children and their families in Peterborough on Friday 31 October
Autumn colours in Cambourne - A wildlife walk for all the family followed by craft making in Cambourne on 31 October
Hogweeds Wildlife Wizardry - Fun for 8 – 12 year olds with Cambridge Wildlife Watch group on 1 November
Or if you would like to get more involved, why not come to one of the Trust’s 'Beginning with bats' Wildlife Training Workshops next year, or become a Wildlife Trust Bat Pathfinder by joining one of our Wildlife Trust Ecology Groups, helping us to monitor bat activity in your area.
Parks, nature reserves and gardens with flowers and ponds attract insects and therefore are excellent hunting grounds for pipistrelle or brown long-eared bats, which often make their homes in trees, house fronts and bat boxes. Look out for them emerging from these places as it begins to get dark this Hallowe'en – and have some spooky fun!