1

The VincenT Wildlife TrusT’s irish baT box schemesKate McAney & Ruth HanniffyJuly 2015

contents

acknowledgements

1.1 Introduction1.2 Installation & Surveying1.3 Portumna1.4 Coole-Garryland 1.5 Knockma1.6 Data Processing & Analysis1.7 Results1.8 Discussion

executive summary 1

3

3

51. VWT bat box Project

aim of the study

2.1 Glengarriff Wood2.2 Clare County Bat Group 2.3 Waterford2.4 Wicklow National Park2.5 Mount Falcon2.6 Bat Boxes & Agri-environment Schemes2.7 Summary

2. other bat box schemes in ireland

3.1 Background3.2 Online Survey3.3 Results3.4 Discussion

3. bat boxes as mitigation measures

appendices

references

4.1 Introduction4.2 VWT Irish Bat Box Project4.3 Online Survey Opinions4.4 Bat Conservations Trust’s Bat Box Information Pack4.5 Bat Conservation Ireland’s Bat Box Guidance Notes for Agri-environmental Schemes4.6 Bat Boxes as a monitoring tool4.7 Guidelines for a robust experimental study of bat box use in Ireland

4. recommendations

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1

• ThisreportpresentsananalysisofTheVincentWildlifeTrust’sIrishbatboxprojectandresultsofanonlinesurveyandwaspossibleduetoagrantfromtheDepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltacht

• TheTruststarteditsbatboxprojectinIrelandin1999asameanstoconfirmthepresenceofthebarbastellebatandhasmadeatotalof153visitstoboxesinthreewoodsinCountyGalway,comprising7,370boxinspections

• Althoughthebarbastellebatwasnotfoundinanyofthe162boxeserected,theprojecthasyieldedusefulinformationonsevenofthenineresidentbatspeciesandontheeffectiveness,orotherwise,ofbatboxes

• 62SchweglerboxesofthreemodelswereerectedinPortumnaForestPark,301FF,302FNand21FW;502FNboxeswereerectedinCoole-GarrylandNatureReserveand502FNboxeswereerectedinKnockmaNatureReserveofwhich40werelatertransferredtoGlengarriffNatureReserveCountyCork

• InitiallyboxeswerecheckedmonthlyfromApriltoOctober,boxeswereoccupiedquicklybutittooktimeforregularoccupationandforbreedinggroupstoform

• ComparisonofboxmodelwasonlypossibleatPortumnawheretherewasequalnumbersof1FFand2FNboxesbutotherfactorswerestudiedatallthreeGalwaywoods

• Duetothedifficultyinseparatingpipistrelleswithouthandling,sopranoandcommonpipistrellesweregroupedasPipistrellusspp.

• Leisler’s,brownlong-earedandPipistrellusspp.wererecordedinboxesatallthreeGalwaywoods,Daubenton’sbatwasonlyrecordedinGarryland,Natterer’sbatwasonlyrecordedinGlengarriffandwhiskered/Brandt’swasrecordedjusttwice

• PortumnaForestParkhadthehighesttotalnumberofbatscounted;Pipistrellusspp.–2,607;long-eared–1,045;Leisler’s–382andtherewasa31%chanceofencounteringabatatPortumnaForestParkcomparedto11.5%and10%atCoole-GarrylandandKnockmarespectively

• Pipistrellusspp.preferred1FFboxesthatoffercrevice-likeroostingconditions,showedaseasonalpreferencewithmorebatspresentlaterintheseason(visualobservationsconfirmedthebatswereusingtheboxesasmatingroosts),theirnumbersincreasedwithtimebutappeartobestabilising,andtheypreferredboxeslocatedclosetotheshoresofLoughDerginPortumna

• ThedietofPipistrellusspp.wasdeterminedusingbatdroppingscollectedmonthlyfromboxesduring1999and2000

• Long-earedbatspreferred2FNboxesthatmimicholesintrees,thenaturalroostingsitesforthisspecies,theyshowednoseasonalpatterntotheiroccurrenceintheboxes–possiblyasmalesofthisspeciesdonotsetupmatingrooststoattractfemales

executive suMMARy

2

• Leisler’sbatshowednopreferenceforboxmodelbutshowedaseasonalpreferencewithmorebatspresentlaterintheseason(visualobservationsconfirmedthebatswereusingtheboxesasmatingroosts)andtheirnumbersincreasedfrom2013

• Many2FNboxeswereinaccessibletobatsduringthemonthofMaybecausebirdshadbuiltnestsinthismodelofbox,andinthe1FWs,thereforethesemodelsandsimilartypesneedmodifyingtoexcludebirds

• Batsthatflewawayfromboxesuponopeningwereobservedflyingeitherintootherboxesornaturalcavitiesinnearbytrees

• Aspectwasnotasignificantfactorforoccupancybutmostboxesreceiveddappledsunshineforpartoftheday

• AnonlinesurveywasusedtogatherinformationonthesuccessofbatboxeserectedformitigationpurposesandshowedthatSchweglerboxesarethemostpopularboxtyperecommendedandareselectedoverwoodenboxeswhenavailable,themainreasonformitigationislossofroostsandallbutonecontributortotheonlinesurveywouldrecommendbatboxesinthefuturetoreplacelossofroosts.Batboxesareconsideredsuitablealternativeroostsforlossoftreeroostsbutnotmaternityroostsinbuildings

• CommonandNathusius’pipistrelles,long-earedsandLeisler’shaveusedboxeserectedformitigationpurposes(theonlyrecordofNathusius’batusingabatboxwasasaresultofmitigationwork)andboxesaremorelikelytobeoccupiedbybatsiftheseareerectedinanareaalreadyusedbybatsbeforetheonsetofdevelopmentwork

• Verylittlepost-erectionmonitoringisconductedafterdevelopmentworkduetolackoffundingandcallsintoquestionthevalidityofproposingboxesasamitigationmeasure

• SchweglerbattubesarerecommendedtoreplacethelossofroostsfrombridgesforDaubenton’sbat,whenattachedtotheundersideofarches

• Detailedguidelinesonmakinganderectingbatboxesareavailablefromwww.batconservationireland.organdwww.bats.org.ukandself-cleaningboxesarerecommendedtopreventdroppingsaccumulatingandblockingaccessbybats

• Batboxesarenowconsideredasuitablemonitoringtoolforsomebatspecies

• Thereisresearchpotentialonlong-eared,Natterer’sandDaubenton’sbatsusingbatboxesinthreewoodlands

• RecommendationsarepresentedforthedesignofasystematicstudyofthevalueofbatboxesinIreland

3

• CreateanIrishdatasetfromthemainVWTbatboxdataset

• EvaluatetheIrishdatasetforevidenceoffactorsinfluencingtheoccupancyof

boxes

• Undertakestatisticalanalysisofthesefactorstoassesstheirsignificance

• Conductareviewofotherbatboxschemestoallowcomparisons

• Surveyecologicalconsultantsforinformationontheuseofbatboxesas

mitigationmeasures

• Makerecommendationsforfutureschemes

AiM of tHe study

AcKnowledgeMentsWewouldliketothanktheNationalParksandWildlifeService(NPWS)oftheDepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltachtforprovidingfundingforthisreport.

WearegratefultothefollowingNPWSstaffwhohaveassistedorcontinuetoassistuswithboxinspections:SineádBiggane,HelenCarty,WilliamCormican,ClareHeardman,JohnHiggins,StefanJones,JacintaMurphy,CiáraO’Mahony,RaymondStephensandRebeccaTeesdale.

Thefollowinghavealsoparticipatedovertheyearsandtheirassistanceisgreatlyappreciated:TinaAughney,MartinByrnes,DanielBuckley,CaitrionaCarlin,JoeCostelloe,JimmyGreen,SegoleneGuegen,ConorKelleher,FionnualaLyons,ElaineO’Riordan,JoanneReilly,PatRoberts,RobSteedandAndyTaylor.ThanksalsotoFidelmaButlerandColinLawtonforsupplyingreportsandtheses.

Wearegratefultothefollowingwhosupplieduswithdataonbatboxstudies:DanielBuckleyandtheCorkCountyBatGroup;DaveLyonsandtheClareCountyBatGroup;AndrewHarringtonatWaterfordInstituteofTechnology;EndaMullenatWicklowMountainNationalParkandTinaAughneyatBatConservationIreland.ThanksalsotoTinaAughney,JoeCostelloe,SerenaDool,ClareHeardman,DaveLyonsandLorcanScottforpermissiontousetheirphotographs.

WewishtoparticularlythankHelenKidwell,graphicdesignerwiththeVWT,forformattingthisreportunderchallengingtimeconstraints,SteveLangtonforanalysingthedataundersimilarconditionsandtoourcolleagueColinMorrisforhisexpertiseandpatienceexplainingthejoysandtribulationsoftheVWTBatBoxDatabase.WeappreciatetheassistanceofTinaAughneywithdesigningtheOnlineSurvey,EndaMullen,CarolineShielandPaulScottfortheirdetailedreplytothisandNiamhRocheforherinputattheinitialstagesofdataanalysis.

Finally,wewishtothankalltheecologistswhotookthetimetoparticipateinourOnlineSurveyorwhosentusadditionalinformationduringwhatisperhapsthebusiesttimeoftheyearforbatworkers.

4Photograph: barbastelle bat © frank Greenaway

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TheVWTinitiateditsIrishbatboxprojectinMarch1999inanattempttoconfirmthepresenceofthebarbastellebat(Barbastellabarbastellus)inIreland.TwovisitingEuropeanbatworkersbelievedthattheyhadrecordeditforthefirsttimeinthecountryinPortumnain1997usingbatdetectors.ProfessorIngemarAhlénandDoctorHansBaagøevisitedIrelandinJulyofthatyearprimarilytorecordLeisler’sbat(Nyctalusleisleri)andtheyvisitedanumberoflocations:11-12thPhoenixPark,Dublin;12-13thRiverSlaney,Wicklow;13-14thKillimer&Kilrush,CountyClare;14-15thPortumnaCastle,Priory&Marina,CountyGalwayand15-16thBlessingtonReservoir,CountyWicklow.

TheyrecordedLeisler’sbatatallthelistedlocationsandotherknownIrishbatspecies’recordedwerebrownlong-eared(Plecotusauritus),Natterer’s(Myotisnattereri),whiskered(M.mystacinus),Daubenton’s(M.daubentonii),Pipistrellusspp.(Pipistrelluspipistrellus–beforespeciesseparation)andNathusius’pipistrelle(P.nathusii).Ahlén&Baagøealsobelievedtheyrecordednoctulebats(N.noctula)inthePhoenixPark(McAney,pers.comm.).

TherecordsforbothbarbastelleandnoctulebatwereacceptedbytheAtlasofEuropeanMammals(Mitchell-Jonesetal.,1999)andbothspecieswerelistedaspresentinIrelandinBatsofBritain,EuropeandNorthwestAfrica(Dietzetal.,2009).

TheVWTandDublinBatGroupundertookdetectorandmistnettingsurveysofPortumnaPrioryandForestParkin1998toverifythebarbastellerecord,butwithoutsuccess.TheTrustthendecidedtoextenditsRareWoodlandBatBoxProject,whichwasunderwayinEnglandandWalesforbothbarbastelleandBechstein’s(M.bechsteinii),toIrelandanderected62SchweglerbatboxesinPortumnaForestParkinMarch1999,and50boxesattwootherwoodlandsinCountyGalway;Coole-Garryland,GortandKnockma,Tuam.

1. vwt BAt Box PRoject

AlthoughthebarbastellebathasnotbeenfoundinVWTbatboxes,noranywhereelseinIrelandduring17yearsofsurveying,sevenoftheeightresidentIrishspeciesthatareabletoaccessboxeshavebeen;sopranopipistrelle(Pipistrelluspygmaeus),commonpipistrelle(Pipistrelluspipistrellus),Leisler’s,brownlong-eared,Natterer’s,Daubenton’sandwhiskered/Brandt’s.Nathusius’pipistrellehasnotbeenrecordednorhasthelesserhorseshoe(Rhinolophushipposideros),butthelatterisunabletoaccessbatboxes.

TheTrustcontinuestomonitortheboxesinPortumnabuthandedovertheKnockmaandCoole-GarrylandschemestotheNationalParksandWildlifeService(NPWS)in2002and2010respectively.FortyboxeswereremovedfromKnockmabeforethehandoveranderectedinaconiferwoodnearClonburforoneyearbeforebeingrelocatedtotwositesinGlengarriff,CountyCork.TheseboxesarenowownedbytheCorkCountyBatGroup.

DatafromthreeotherbatboxprojectswerekindlysuppliedforinclusioninthisreportandaredescribedinSection2,aswellasinformationonanexperimentalprojectinWicklowNationalParkandareviewoftheuseofbatboxeswithinpastandcurrentagri-environmentalschemes.

Batboxesareoftenrecommendedasamitigationmeasuretoprovidealternativeroostsduringdevelopmentswhereknownorpotentialroostsareatriskorarebeingremoved.However,littleinformationexistsonhoweffectivebatboxesareinthissituationso,aspartofthisstudy,anonlinesurveywasconductedtoelicitfeedbackfromconsultantsontheirexperiencesofbatboxesasmitigationmeasures.TheresultsofthisarepresentedinSection3.

ThisreportontheVWT’sIrishbatboxprojecthasbeenpossibleduetoagrantfromtheNPWS,DepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltacht.

1.1 introduction

6

OnehundredandsixtytwoSchwegler(www.schwegler-natur.de)woodcretebatboxes(compressedwoodchipandconcretemix)wereerectedinthreewoodlandsinCountyGalwayinMarch1999.ThreetypesofboxeswereusedinPortumnaForestPark,2FN,1FFand1FW,and2FNsonlyinCoole-GarrylandandKnockma.Nine2F,two1FFandone2FNboxeswereerectedatKnockmaafterthisschemewastransferredtotheNPWSin2002.Table1providesdetailsofthefourtypesofboxes.

Initiallytheboxeswerenotnailedontothetreesduetoconcernabouttheeffectthiswouldhaveonthetrees,insteadgalvanizedgardenfencewirewasusedtohangthemataheightofapproximately4mwiththeintentiontoadjustthewireatregularintervalstopreventitbecomingembeddedbytreegrowth.However,asboxeswerehunginpairs,whichresultedinwireoverlapping,thisprovedimpossibletoundertake,necessitatingtherehangingofsomeboxesusingaluminiumnailsatalaterdate.

1.2 installation & surveying

Nosystematicapproachwasadoptedforlocatingtheboxeswithinthewoods;rathertheselectionoftreeswasbasedoneaseofvehicularaccessfrompathsortrackswhenerectingtheboxesandbythelackofbranchesthatcouldinhibiteaseofaccessbybats.However,boxeswereclusteredatvariouspointswithinthethreewoodlandsandinPortumnaForestParkthe2FNand1FFpairedboxeswerehungonadjacenttrees.Theaspectofeachboxwasnotedwhenitwaslocatedonatree,aswasthetreespecies.ThelocationsoftheboxesinthethreeGalwaywoodsareshowninFigure1.

DuringthefirstfouryearsofthestudyboxeswereinspectedonceamonthfromApriltoSeptemberandoccasionallyoutsidethesemonthsastimepermittedbut,oncegroupsofbatstookupresidence,visitsweregenerallynotmadeduringJuneandJulyinsubsequentyearstominimizedisturbance.Twopeoplewerealwaysinvolvedinboxinspectionandthefollowinginformationwasrecordedforeachbox:speciesofbatpresentandanestimateofthenumberofindividuals,numberandconditionofbatdroppings,andtheoccurrenceofbirdnests.Photograph: 2FN box on tree.

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Freshbatdroppingswerecollectedintheearlyyearsofthestudyandstoredandalldroppingswereremovedateachvisit.Torcheswereoftenusedtoverifythepresenceofbats,especiallywhencheckingthe1FFboxesasitwasoftendifficulttodeterminethespecieswhenseveralbatswerepresent.

Occasionallybatswouldmovewithintheboxwhileitwasbeingcheckedandwhenthisgaverisetoariskoftheirbeinginjuredonclosingthebox,thebat(s)wereremovedandthenguidedbackintotheboxviaoneoftheentrancepointsoncethedooroftheboxwassecured.Abathandlingbagwasoftenusedtoblockanentranceforaminuteorsoinordertoencouragethebattoremainwithinthebox.Onhotdaysbatsdidflyoutofaboxonceitwasopenedbutgenerallyitwaspossibletoobservethemuntiltheyenteredanotherboxoranaturalcrevice,eitheronthesametreeastheoriginalboxorcloseby.Anotewastakenofanybatmovementbetweenboxestopreventduplicationofrecords.

Photograph: Checking a 2FN box.

figure 1: Map showing locations of VWT bat box schemes

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Photographs: (left) 2FN bat box with a large amount of droppings, (above) Checking a 1FF box with a torch.

ApproximatelytwentypeoplehaveassistedtheTrustwithcheckingtheboxes,rangingfromconservationrangersoftheNPWS,batconsultants,membersoftheGalwayBatGroupandvolunteers.Alicensedbatworkerwasalwayspresentduringtheinspectionsandbatshandledonlytopreventinjury,asdescribedabove,orforthepurposeoftraining.In2012allbrownlong-earedbatsfoundinPortumnaForestwerehandledsothatbiometricdatacouldbecollectedbyBatConservationIreland.

Boxeswererelocatedonthreeoccasions.By2002itwasapparentthatmanyoftheboxesinKnockmaWoodwerenotbeingusedoronlyoccasionallyso40wereremovedanderectedforatrialperiodofoneyearinBallykyneWoodnearClonbur,CountyGalway,afterwhichtheywereerectedintwowoodlandsitesinGlengarriff,CountyCork,withtwoadditionalboxestobringthetotalthereto42.Similarlytheten2FNboxesinCooleParkwereremovedanderectedinGarrylandWoodin2003.

9

table 1: Types of Schwegler bat boxes used in the four sites.

box TyPe

2FN

dimensions

Circumference: 16 cmHeight: 36 cmWeight: 4.3 g

descriPTion

Two entrances, one at the rear and one at the front. Domed roof to allow bats to cluster.Front panel unscrews to allow inspection.

PhoToGraPh

1FF Height: 43 cmDepth: 14 cmWidth: 27 cmEntrance: 12-24 cm wide x 21 cm longWeight: 9.9 kg

Designed for crevice-dwelling bats.Rear panel of roughened wood.Door swings downwards to allow inspection.

1FW Circumference: 38 cmHeight: 50 cmWeight: 28 kg

Large to accommodate clusters of bats in summer.Insulated for winter use.Insert of three timber panels.

2F Circumference: 16 cmHeight: 33 cmWeight: 3.8 kg

Conical top.One entrance hole at the front.

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PortumnaForestParkconsistsofapproximately450hectaresandisownedandmanagedbyCoillte(www.coillte.ie).Inadditiontothewoodlandtheparkalsocontainsarangeofotherhabitats,includingmarsh,opengreenspacesandturloughs.

TheforestparkislocatedinthesoutheastofCountyGalwayclosetothetownofPortumna(M8403).ItisborderedtothesouthbyLoughDergandtothenorthbytheR352Portumna–Scariffroad.TheareawasoriginallyownedbytheClanrickardfamilyandwasacquiredbythestatein1948.Afterstateacquisitionmuchoftheoriginalnativewoodlandwasplantedwithconifers,includingScotspine(Pinussylvestris),Norwayspruce(Piceaabies),Sitkaspruce(Piceasitchensis)andJapaneselarch(Larixkaempferi)whiletheremainderconsistsofotherconifersandbroadleaves,includingbeech(Fagussylvatica).Currentlyover200hectaresoftheforestisdesignatedasOldWoodlandandthecurrentforestmanagementplaninvolvesthegradualconversionoftheconiferstobroadleavesbynaturalregenerationandreplanting,withover40hectaresundertheNativeWoodlandsScheme.

1.3 Portumna

Photograph: (above) 1FF boxes on a tree in Portumna Forest Park , (left) 2FN boxes on a tree in Portumna Forest Park.

ThestandsofScotspinearebeingmanagedasContinuousCoverForestry(CCF)tobenefitthepopulationofredsquirrel(Sciurusvulgaris)thatlivesintheforest.Thispopulationwasthesourceofanimalsusedinasuccessfultranslocationprojectduring2003–2006(Poole,2007).Approximately32%ofthetotalforestarea,mainlyalongthelakeshore,isdesignatedaSpecialAreaofConservation(sitecodeSAC2241)andaSpecialProtectionArea(SiteCodeSPA4058).Theareaisalsodesignatedas‘HighConservationValueForestry(HCVF)byCoillte.

Atotalof62SchweglerbatboxeswereerectedonavarietyoftreesintheforestparkinMarch1999;302FNs,301FFsandtwo1FWboxes(Figure2).

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figure 2: Location of bat boxes in Portumna Forest Park

Photographs: (above left) Bat boxes at Beech Grove, (top right) Habitat close to the Visitor centre, (bottom right) Bat boxes at the lake shore.

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Coole-GarrylandNatureReserveconsistsofapproximately404hectares,madeupofthewoodlandandgroundsatCooleParkVisitorCentreandtheadjoiningwoodatGarryland(www.coolepark.ie).

ThenaturereserveislocatedinsouthGalway,3kmnorthofGort(M4204)inakarsticlimestonebasinatlowelevation.Historically,betweentheyears1798-1927,itwasownedbytheGregoryfamilywhoplantedwoodlandandmaintainedwalledgardensandtree-linedavenues.ItwasacquiredbytheIrishstatein1927andformanyyearswasmanagedbyCoillte,duringwhichtimemuchofthedeciduouswoodlandandlawnswereplantedwithconifers.Itwasdesignatedanaturereservein1983andisnowaSpecialAreaofConservation(sitecodeSAC252)andaSpecialProtectionArea(SiteCodeSPA107)duetoanumberofrareplantspecies,auniqueassemblageofinsectsanditsimportancetowinteringwetlandbirdsthatusetheturloughs(seasonalwaterbodies).Ithasbeenthefocusofmanyecologicalstudies;someofthosefocusing

1.4 coole-garryland

Photograph: (below) Garryland Nature Reserve, (right) 2FN boxes, Garryland Nature Reserve.

onsmallmammalsincludeO’Mahony(1998),VonCramon(2003),Connor(2003),Bateman(2007)andCondell(2007).

ThehabitatinthevicinityofCooleParkVisitorCentreconsistsofplantednon-nativebeech,parkland,woodlandedgeandNorwayspruceconifers.ThewoodlandhabitatatGarrylandisconsideredtobesemi-naturalbroad-leavedwithpedunculatedoak(Quercusrobur),ash(Fraxinusexcelsior)andhazel(Corylusavellana),withanunderstoreyofbramble(Rubusfructicosus),ivy(Hederahelix),andhawthorn(Crategusmonogyna).

Ten2FNboxeswereerectedonbeechtreesinNutWoodclosetoCooleParkVisitorCentrein1999andremainedthereuntil2002whentheyweremovedtothewoodlandatGarrylandwhereforty2FNshavebeeninplacesince1999(Figure3).

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figure 3: Location of bat boxes in Garryland Nature Reserve

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KnockmaNatureReserveconsistsofapproximately42hectaresandcomprisesmixedbroadleavedwoodland,limestonepavementandhazelscrub.

Thenaturereserveislocated7kmeastofHeadfordand11kmwestofTuam,CountyGalway(M3648).Itisasteepslopingsite,50matthebaseofthehillrisingto167mandisthehighestpointinthesurroundingcountryside.ItwasownedbyoneofthetribesofGalway,theKirwansofCastlehackett,whomanagedthewoodland–thatmayhavedevelopednaturally–forgamehunting;thisaccountsforthepresenceofcherrylaural(Prunuslaurocerasus)andrhododendron(Rhododendronponticum).Thehillisofarchaeologicalimportanceduetothepresenceoffourstonecairnslocatedonthelimestonesummit.ThesitewastransferredtotheIrishstatein1956andboughtbyCoilltein1986beforebeingacquiredbytheNPWSin1989;itisdesignatedasaproposedNaturalHeritageArea(pNHA001288).

1.5 Knockma

Photograph: (right) Old boundary line, Knockma Wood, (below) Entrance to Knockma Wood.

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figure 4: Location of bat boxes in Knockma

TheconiferoustreespresentwereplantedbyCoillteandincludeJapaneselarch,Douglasfir(Pseudotsugamenziesii)andSitkaspruce.Othernon-nativespeciesincludesycamore(Acerpseudoplantanus)andsnowberry(Symphoricarposalbus).ThewoodlandhabitatatKnockmaisconsideredtobesemi-naturalbroad-leavedwithoak(Quercusrobur&Q.petraeabutalsohybrids),ash,hazel,beech,withanunderstoreyofbramble,ivy,andhawthornandrichgroundflora.Stepstomanagethecherrylaurelbeganin2004whenalargeareawaschemicallytreatedandcontinuedinthefollowingyearwhenasecondareawasfelled.In2014approximately2.5hectareswascutbackandwillbesprayedeitherin2015or2016,dependingontherateofgrowth.Additionalboundaryfencingwaserectedin2013and2014to

excludedomesticlivestockandapproximately400deciduoustrees,mainlyoakbutalsomountainash(Sorbusaucuparia)andyew(Taxusbaccata),havebeensown.IthasbeenthefocusofanumberofecologicalstudiesincludingoneontheDipteraassociatedwiththewoodland(McHugh,2009)andamanagementplancommissionedbytheNPWS(Boyle&McHugh,2008).

Fifty2FNboxeswereerectedatanumberoflocationswithinthewoodlandinMarch1999,tenofwhichremaintoday.FortyunderorunusedboxeswereremovedinMarch2002andrelocatedtoBallykyneWoodforoneyearandthentoGlengarriff,CountyCork.TheKnockmaWoodschemewaseventuallytransferredtotheNPWSin2004afterwhichnine2F,two1FFandone2FNSchweglerboxeswereerectedbythelocalconservationrangerwhocontinuestomonitoralltheboxesatthissite(Figure4).

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Alldatacollectedfortheyearsfrom1999–2015wereenteredintoacentralVWTMicrosoftAccessdatabase.Thefollowingbaselineinformationwascollectedforeachsiteunderthefollowingheadings:woodlandname;treenumber(eachtreeonwhichboxeswerehungwasassignedanumber),treespeciesandaltitudeattree.Eachboxwasassignedanumberanditstype,heightandaspectonthetreewererecorded.

MicrosoftOfficeExcelwasusedtomanipulatethedatarelatingtoIrelandandforrecordinginformationonthedegreeofshadingonabox,itsdistancefromapathandtreediameteratbreastheight.Shadingwasdividedintothreecategoriescomprisingshaded,dappledorfullsunandwasassessedwithreferencetothedegreeofsunlightreachingabox.Diameteratbreastheightwascalculatedbydividingthetreecircumferencevaluemeasuredatbreastheightby3.14.Thedistanceofaboxfromapathwasmeasuredbyconsideringmainandvehicularpathsonlyandwasdividedintointervalsof0–10m,11–20m,21–30mandgreaterthan30m.

Thefirstvisitwhenboxeswereerectedwasremovedfromthedata,asboxeswerenotavailabletobatsonthisoccasion.Wherepossible,allotheroccasionswhenboxeswereunavailabletobatswereremovedfromthedataset.Thisincludedstolen,damagedorbrokenboxesandvisitswhenparticularboxeswerenotchecked,forexampleduetoflooding.Whereagroupofboxeswereremovedanderectedelsewhere,thedatetheywererehungwasalsoremovedfromthedataset.

1.6 data Processing & Analysis

RecordsofsopranoandcommonpipistrellewerecombinedasPipistrellusspp.duetothedifficultyofseparatingthesespeciesaccuratelyintheearlyyearsofthestudy.

Pivottableswereusedtolookattrendsinthedataaccordingtositeandvariablessuchasmonth,boxtype,batspeciesandseason.Inspectionvisitsweregroupedintoseasonsasfollows:April&May–Spring;June&July–Summer;August&September/October–Autumn;NovembertoMarch–Winter.

Thepresenceofbirdnestsin2FNboxeswasrecordedtoassesswhethertherewasacorrelationbetweenpresenceofnestsandabsenceofbats.Anestwasmarkedaspresentwhenaboxwasfullorthreequartersfullwithnestmaterialandnotesmadeonthepresenceofeggsorchicks.Nestswitheggsandchickswereleftuntouched,otherwisethematerialwasremoved.

Allstatisticalanalysiswasconductedexternally(stats@stevelangton.org.uk).InitiallyalldatasourcedfromVWTandexternalstudieswereconsideredforanalysistodeterminetrendsandtheirsignificancebut,duetothevariationwithinthedata(forexample,typesofboxesusedandlocations),onlydatafromtheVWTschemeswereanalysed.BarchartswereproducedbyGenstatandtrendsanalysedusingGeneralisedLinearMixedModels(GLMM)tocaterfortheanalysisofgroupeddata,primarilydifferentboxtypesatthefoursitescheckedatvaryingtimesofyear.

Photographs: Ladder at tree to check 2FN bat boxes.

Photograph: Pipistrelle spp.

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TablesinAppendix1andFigure8belowpresentasummaryoftheinformationgatheredduringthe17yearsofinspectionsatthreewoodlands–thesitesatCooleandGarrylandweregroupedastheywerealwayscheckedonthesameday.

1.7 Results

figure 5: The species and numbers of each recorded during spring to autumn in first three years of study.

a) Portumna

b) coole-garryland

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c) Knockma

Atotalof153visitsweremade;54,52and47atPortumna,Coole-GarrylandandKnockmarespectively,comprising7,370boxinspections.ThebreakdownoftheseinspectionsunderanumberofheadingsisdetailedinTables2to5below.Thesetablesclearlyshowhowunbalancedthedatawere,

butwereusefulinidentifyingthebestapproachesforfurtheranalysis.ItisimportanttorememberwhenreadingthetablesofresultsthataboxinspectedinAprilandMayofthesameyearcontributestwoinspectionstowardsthetotal.

year

19992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015

coole

707060700000000000000

270

Garryland knockma

siTe

PorTumna all

27828024028815020099

19919496

1444848760

4848

2436

3023502508913754545464623232123442141

1457

4464343314041742281141682261101641308251524251

3207

1096113488185133750325841246625233120115115096

111140

7370all years

table 2: Number of boxes inspected by Year and Site

19

TyPe

1F1FF1FW2FN

coole

000

270

270

Garryland knockma

siTe

PorTumna all

000

2436

2436

178390

1240

1457

01572

791556

3207

1781611

795502

7370all TyPes

table 3: Number of boxes inspected by Box type and Site

Table4showshowthenumberofvisitsdeclinefromyear2002onwards,thereforetheresultsofanalysiswillbedominatedbythedatacollectedintheearlieryearsofthestudy.Therewereonlysufficientdataon1FFand2FNboxesfromPortumnatoallowcomparisonsofboxtypeusedas1,572inspectionsof

1FFand1,556of2FNboxeswereundertakenatthissite.Table4alsoshowsthevariationinvisitsmadebySeason.TherewasagooddistributionofvisitsinAprilandMay;onlyin2012wasthisperiodmissed.VisitsinJune&Julyceasedafter2002topreventdisturbancetobreedinggroups.

year

19992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015

WinTer (noV - march)

1200

167000

2223230

7510071232120

557

Period

all

276324162229121220128162153206229103510

524299

2557

324324274240

0232272

128230

23000

4821

1522

484486445215216260108156162

0102

00

792100

2734

1096113488185133750325841246625233120115115096

111140

7370all years

table 4: Number of boxes inspected by Year and Season for all four sites

sPrinG (aPril/may)

summer(June/July)

auTumn(auG-ocT)

20

Table5showsthatalmosthalfoftheboxeswereerectedonoaktrees(46%),with33%,16%,2.6%,0.8%and0.8%onScotspine,beech,Douglasfir,ashandsycamorerespectively.

sPecies

SycamoreBeech

AshDouglas firScots pine

Quercus spp.

coole

0216

000

54

270

Garryland knockma

siTe

PorTumna all

00000

2436

2436

1987082630

423

1457

41110106

02464486

3207

60119618863

24643399

7370all TyPes

table 5: Number of boxes inspected by tree species and site

ThemeanandtotalcountsofbatsandthepercentageofinspectionsthatyieldedabatareshowninTable6and7forallspeciesandforthefourspecies/groupsencounteredregularly.Table8showsOccupancyRate,whichisdefinedasthepercentageofinspectionswhenabatwasencountered.Inthesetablesthecolumngivingtheresultsforallbatsmaybeslightlygreaterorlesserthanthesumofthefourspecies/groupslistedduetotherareoccurrenceofotherspecies(whiskered/Brandt’satGarryland)orunidentifiedMyotisspecies,andduetothefactthatonrareoccasionsbatsofdifferentspecieswerefoundroostingtogetherintheoneboxonthesameday.

Daubenton’sbatwasonlyrecordedinGarrylandWoodland,whileLeisler’s,long-earedandthepipistrelleswererecordedatallsites.PortumnaWoodhadthehighesttotalnumberofbatscountedforpipistrelles(2,607),long-eared(1,045)andLeisler’s(382).Therewasa31%chanceofencounteringabatduringavisittothiswoodcomparedto11.5%and10%atCoole-GarrylandandKnockmarespectively.

Photograph: Leisler’s bats in a 2FN bat box

siTe

CooleGarrylandKnockmaPortumna

daubenTon’s

0.0000.0910.0000.000

0.030

leisler’s PiPisTrelle lonG-eared all

0.0590.0170.0690.119

0.073

0.1220.1970.0790.813

0.439

0.0000.1300.0040.326

0.185

0.1810.4350.1521.260

0.729all siTes

table 6: Mean number of bats counted by site (n = number of inspections and not numbers of boxes)

n

270243614573207

7370

21

all

siTe

CooleGarrylandKnockmaPortumna

daubenTon’s

0221

00

221

leisler’s PiPisTrelle lonG-eared all

1642

100382

540

33479115

2607

3234

0316

61045

1367

491060222

4040

5371all siTes

table 7: Total number of bats counted by site (n = number of inspections and not numbers of boxes)

n

270243614573207

7370

siTe

CooleGarrylandKnockmaPortumna

daubenTon’s

0.01.10.00.0

0.4

leisler’s PiPisTrelle lonG-eared all

3.01.63.64.2

3.2

10.46.85.8

23.2

13.9

0.02.00.43.9

2.4

13.311.510.031.2

19.9all siTes

table 8: Percentage of inspections with bats by site (n = number of inspections and not numbers of boxes)

n

270243614573207

7370

all

Table9showstheresultsforthepipistrellebats.Apresence/absencemodelratherthanmodelsofnumberswasusedbecausethecountsofbatshadfairlyextremedistribution,withmanyzerosandafewhighcounts.Hence,significancetestsfromthepresence/absenceGLMMsarelikelytobemorereliablethanthosefromquantitativemodels.Twofactorsarehighlysignificant,Boxtype(1FF)(F=49.80,with1and31d.f.,P=<0.001)andSeason(higheroccupancylaterintheyear)(F=14.93,with3and1891d.f.,P=<0.001).TherewasnosignificantinteractionbetweenBoxtypeandSeason,sotheseasonalpatternappearstobesimilarfor

bothboxtypes.TreespeciesandDiameterarebothhighlysignificantbutitispossiblethattheseeffectsareconfoundedwithspatialfactorsthatwerenotexaminedinthisstudy.TheonlyotherfactorthatishighlysignificantisYear(F=2.43,with16and690d.f.,P=0.001),withaninitialincreaseovertimethenastabilization.DuetothelocationofboxesalongtheshoreofLoughDerg,GLMMtestswereconductedtoseeiftherewasapreferenceforboxesnearthewater,asbothmeancountsandoccupancyratewerehigherinlakeshoreboxes,andthisprovedtobestatisticallysignificant(F=6.06with1and24d.f.,P=+0.021).

Term

AspectTree species

DBHBox typeSeason

YearShading

Distance from path

f Value

1.076.079.88

49.8014.932.432.111.55

ndf ddf P Value

33113

1613

30323531

18916902647

0.3780.0020.003

<0.001<0.0010.0010.1580.213

table 9: The significance levels for the presence of pipistrelles at Portumna using GLMM

22

Table10showstheresultsforlong-earedbats.Boxtypeissignificant(2FN)(F=5.17with1and31d.f.,P=0.030),butSeasonisnotsignificant.Diameterhasasignificantpositiverelationship(F=5.21with1and31d.f.,P=0.029)andisworthfurtherinvestigationtoseeiftreesaredistributedthroughoutthesiteorinagroupofsimilardiameters.TherewassomesignificancewithrespecttoYear,withagradualincreaseinuseovertime.

Photograph: Long-eared bats

Term

AspectTree species

DBHBox typeSeason

YearShading

Distance from path

f Value

0.461.485.215.171.031.811.930.79

ndf ddf P Value

33113

1613

29323131

18125924026

0.7150.2370.0290.0300.3770.0260.1730.513

table 10: The significance levels for the presence of long-eared bats at Portumna using GLMM

Table11showstheoverallsignificancelevelsfromGLMMforthepresenceofLeisler’sbatatPortumnaWoodin2FNand1FFboxes.TheonlyfactorthatishighlysignificantisYear(F=2.62with16and648d.f.,P=0.001),withincreasingnumbersfrom2013onwards.However,Seasonisalso

justaboutsignificant(F=2.64with3and1892d.f.,P=0.048),withincreasingpresencelaterintheyear.Testforinteractionsbetweenothervariablesdidnotyieldanyofsignificance(Aspect:BoxType;TreeSpecies:Diameter;BoxType:Season;Aspect:Shade;Season:Shade).

Term

Aspect

Tree speciesDBH

Box typeSeason

YearShading

Distance from path

f Value

0.541.420.000.002.642.620.010.68

ndf ddf P Value

33113

1613

32305340

18926482734

0.6590.2580.9740.9610.0480.0010.9320.573

table 11: The significance levels for the presence of Leisler’s bat at Portumna using GLMM

23

ConsideringPortumnaonlyFigure6showsmeannumberofbatsbyBoxtypeandSeasonandFigure7theoccupancyratebyBoxTypeandSeason.Theseindicatethatpipistrelleshaveaclearpreferencefor1FFboxesandlong-earedshaveaclearpreferencefor2FNboxes.Asdiscussedabove,whenthesedataweretestedusingGLMM,bothwerestatisticallysignificant.

figure 6: Mean number of bats by Box type and Season

figure 7: Occupancy rate by Box type and Season

24

Figure8showsthepatternofoccupancybyspeciesatthethreesitesforallyears.Leisler’sbatwasrecordedatCoole-Garrylandinthesecondyearofthestudybuthasbeenabsentsince2009.ThisspecieshasbeenrecordedatPortumnaeveryyearsince2000whenitfirstappearedthere.ItwaspresentduringthefirstyearatKnockmabuthasbeenabsentonoccasionalyearssincethen.

PipistrelleswerenotrecordedatGarrylandduringthe2012visitbutnotallboxeswereinspectedontheday,novisitwasmadein2013andonlyoneinMay2015priortothisreport.Long-earedbatshavebeenpresenteveryyearsince1999atPortumna,rarelyatKnockmaandabsentfromGarrylandsince2009.

figure 8: Percentage occupancy of bats by year and site

25

Althoughnotesweretakenofthepresenceofbirdnests,thiswasquiteasubjectiveexerciseandthedetailofthisvariedconsiderably,sonoanalysiscouldbeundertaken.However,Figure9showsthatthemonthofMaywasthepeaktimeforbirdoccupancyof2FNboxes.

figure 9: Number of bird nests in 2FNs by month for all sites

Threebatspecieswerefoundinboxesthatcontainedasubstantialamountofbirdnestingmaterialontwentyoccasions;pipistrelles(n=10),brownlong-eared(n=9)andLeisler’s(n=1).Usuallysinglebatswerefoundroostingabovethenest,butonthreeoccasionsgroupsoflong-earedbats(upto15)wererecorded.Itappearedthatcertainboxeswerepreferredbybirds,particularlyinKnockmaWood.Figure10showshowsomeboxeswerepreferredoverothers.

Photograph: Grounded bat box with bird’s nest inside.

figure 10: Numbers of bats using boxes at each site

a) Portumna - box number by occupancy

Box127hadthehighestlevelofoccupancyinPortumna.Thisisawestfacing1FFonaScotspineindappledwoodland,within40mofthelakeandmorethan30metresfromthenearestpath.Ontenvisitsthisboxwasbeingusedbygroupsoftenormorepipistrelles.

Groupsofbats(>10)wererecorded187timesandgroupsestimatedtocontainmorethan20batswerefoundduring29inspections,generallyduringthevisitsinApril&May.Pipistrellesformedmoregroupsin1FFboxesthan2FNwhereasgroupsoflong-earedandDaubenton’sbatsformedin2FNs.

26

b) Garryland - box number by occupancy

Box29displayedthehighestlevelofoccupancyinGarryland.Thisisasouthfacing2FNonanoaktreeinashadedareaover30metresfromtheclosestpath.Groupsoftenormorepipistrelleswererecordedfromthisboxduringeightdifferentinspections.

c) Knockma - box number by occupancy

Boxes32and17exhibitedthehighestlevelsofoccupancywith25and21batsrespectively.Bothwere2FNsinareasofdappledsunlight:box17waswestfacingonaDouglasfirof58cmdiameterand11-20mfromthenearestpath;box32wassouth-eastfacingonabeechtreeof70.7cmdiameterand10mfromthenearestpath.Inspring2000and2002groupsofLeisler’s(6-8bats)usedbox17.

Photographs: (left) Leisler’s bat in the hand, (right) Whiskered/Brandt’s bat in the hand

27

1.8 discussion

TheprimaryaimoftheVWTBatBoxSchemeinIreland–todeterminethepresenceofthebarbastellebat–wasnotachievedinthe17yearsofthesurvey.Acriticalassessmentofthisspecies’presenceinIreland–andofthenoctulebat–wasundertakenbyBuckleyetal.(2011)usingwalkedtransectsintheLoughDergregionwithPetterssonD100XbatdetectorsandbypassivemonitoringusinganSD1Anabatdetector.Outof1,011recordings,nocallsofthebarbastelleweredetected.TheauthorsconcludedthatwhileitisimpossibletoprovetheabsenceofaspeciesthereiscurrentlyinsufficientevidencetostatethatthebarbastellebatoccursinIreland.Apossibleexplanationforthe1997claimisthatDaubenton’sbatemitsasocialcallthatoverlapsincallstructurewithsomecallsproducedbythebarbastellebat.Itisinterestingtonotethatinthelate1990saDaubenton’scolonywasdiscoveredroostingingapsinstoneworkattheprioryinPortumnaanditwasthemostcommonlycapturedspeciesduringamistnettingsurveybytheDublinBatGroupin1998inthegroundsofthepriory(K.McAney,pers.obs.).

Despitethefailuretoachievetheprimaryaimoftheproject,oncetheboxeshadbeenadoptedbyotherspeciesitwasdecidedtoleavetheminplaceandonlytorelocatethoseunder-usedorontreesthatposedahealthandsafetyrisktothepersonsconductingtheinspections–forexampletreesonslopinggroundatKnockmaWood.Thenumberofinspectionsperyearwasreducedtominimisedisturbancetoanygroupsofbatsbutwasalsoduetotimeconstraints.Intheearlyyearsofthestudydroppingswerecollectedonamonthlybasisandstored.Samplesfrom1999and2000formedthebasisforafinalyearB.Sc.Zoologythesisonthedietofpipistrellebatsinthethreewoods(Guillot,2003).Atotalof202droppingswereanalysedand25Arthropodcategoriesidentified.Dipteraninsectswerethemostimportantpreygroupmakingup80%ofthediet;themostimportantfamiliesrepresentedweretheChironomidae/Ceratopogonidae(bitingandnon-bitingmidges),Anisopodidae(windowmidges)andTipulidae(crane-flies).

IntimethreeschemeswerehandedovertotheNPWSandCorkCountyBatGroupwhiledataonthePortumnaboxes,whichremainedaVWTstudy,wereenteredintothemainVWTBatBoxDatabaseheldintheUK.Amajorstudyofthelatterwasproducedin2006(Poulton)atwhichtimeinformationon68,715inspectionsof3,024boxeson1,410treesin52

woodlandsinEngland,WalesandIrelandwasavailable,coveringtheyears1985to2005.AlongwiththethreemodelsofSchweglerboxusedinIreland,sevenothertypes,bothwoodcreteandtimber,wereinplaceinEnglandandWales.InadditiontothespeciesrecordedinboxesinIreland(pipistrelles,brownlong-eared,Leisler’s,whiskered/Brandt’s,Daubenton’s,Natterer’s),thenoctule,serotineandBechstein’sbatwerealsorecordedintheUK.Despitethevolumeofrecordstherewerelimitationsastotheextentofanalysispossibleduetothehighdegreeofvariabilityinthetypesofboxesusedandhowandwheretheyweredeployed.Hence,subsetsofdatawereinvestigatedprimarilytodeterminethefactorsinfluencingoccupancyrateofboxtype(woodcretevstimber)andboxmodel(1FFvs2FNetc.).

ThemajorresultsfromthePoultonstudywerethatoccupancyratesshowedadistinctwinterlowwithlessthan2%usedinFebruarycomparedto10%inAugustandSeptemberandthattherewasahighlysignificantdifferenceinoccupancyratesbetweenbatboxtypes,ingeneralwoodcretewerepreferredtowooden.Occupancyrates,batcountsandspeciescountsallincreasedsignificantlywiththelengthoftimetheschemeswereestablished.Forallsixindividualspecies/groups,occupancyratesdifferedsignificantlybetweentypesofbatbox.Therewerelessmarkeddifferenceswithrelationtobatcounts.ThePipistrellusspp.groupaccountedfor50%oftheoccupancyratebutbrownlong-earedbatsweremorenumerous(n=9,684)thanpipistrelles(n=5,985)andweretheonlyspeciesthatformedclusters.The1FFand2FNboxesaccountedfor90%ofthepipistrellerecordswithoccupancyratesof12.9%and8.5%respectively.Also,the1FFboxeswereadoptedearlierthanthe2FNs(300and450daysrespectively).However,when2Fboxtypeswereavailable,pipistrellebatspreferredtheseshowingahigheroccupancyrate,highercountsandwereadoptedmorequicklythananyoftheotherboxtypes.TheotherspeciesofrelevancetoIrelandisNatterer’sbat;batboxheightseemedtohaveasignificanteffectonoccupancyrateandtimetofirstuse,withthisspeciesshowingastrongpreferenceforboxesplacedlow(4morlower).AlthoughthisspecieswasfoundinallsevenboxtypesusedinEnglandandWales,fiveofwhichwerewoodcrete,itpreferredthe2Fmodel(occupancyrate4.3%)overthe1FFand2FN(occupancyratesof2.7%and2.2%respectively).

28

ThefirststudyofexclusivelyIrishVWTbatboxeswasundertakenbyTeesdale(2006)whoanalysedthedatacollectedatPortumnaForestParkduringthefirstsevenyearsofthestudy,bywhichtime2,124batshadbeencountedduring37visits.AsinthePoultonstudythelackofasystematicapproachtotheinitialplacementandsubsequentinspectionoftheboxeslimitedtheamountofanalysispossible,butanumberofstatisticallysignificantresultswereobtainedandsomeobservationsthatmeritfutureresearch.Thepipistrellegroupwasrecordedin70.4%oftheinspections,followedbybrownlong-earedsandLeisler’sat21.8%and7.8%respectively.Thepipistrellesshowedaclearpreferencefor1FFboxesandbrownlong-earedsfor2FNwhileLeisler’sbatsshowednopreference.TeesdalemappedalltheboxesusingaGPSandGISandwasabletoassigntheboxestoeitherwoodedge(closetoapath/track)orwoodinteriorandfoundallthreespeciespreferredboxesthatwerelocatedclosertowoodlandedge,andalsothatpipistrellebatspreferredthoseboxesclosesttoLoughDergwhiletheothertwospeciespreferredboxesmorethan50mawayfromthelake.Herresultsalsosuggestedthattheclusteringorisolationofboxeswasaninfluencingfactor,withallthreespecies/groupschoosingisolatedboxes.Aspectoftheboxappearedtobeafactorinfluencingoccupancy,withLeisler’susingnorthandeastfacingboxes,pipistrellesusingwestandeastfacingandlong-earedsselectingsouthfacing.Therewasalsoevidenceofseasonalvariationinboxoccupancy,withmorebatspresentinthespringthansummerandautumn,althoughpipistrellesweremoreoftenrecordedin2FNboxesinsummerthanatothertimesoftheyear.

Theanalysiscarriedoutforthisreportsupportssomeofthefindingsdetailedabove,whichisnotsurprisingconsideringthatthedatasetusedherealsoformedpartoftheearlierstudies,butadditionalsignificantfactorswereidentified.AsinthePoultonstudy(2006)subsetsofdatawereuseddependingonthefactorbeingassessed;onlydatafromPortumnaForestParkfortheyears1999to2002wereusedtotestbatboxpreferenceasonlyatthissiteweretwodifferentboxmodelsused,buttheentiredatasetwasusedtolookatspeciesbehaviourinrelationtootherfactors,suchasyearorseason.Acommonresultwiththeothertwostudiesisthepreferencebypipistrellebatsfor1FFboxesandincommonwithTeesdale(2006)thatbrownlong-earedspreferred2FNs.The1FFboxisdesignedtoreplicatethenarrowcrevice-likespacesfavouredbypipistrelleswhilethe2FNdesignmimicsholesintrees,thenaturalroostsofthelong-earedbat.Thepreferencebypipistrellesforboxesclosetowaterwasreplicatedinthisstudy.

SeasonalusebybothpipistrellesandLeisler’sbatwasconfirmedinthisstudy;howevercontrarytoTeesdale’sfinding,thiswasformorebatsofbothspeciestobepresentlaterintheyear.Thismayreflecttheuseoftheboxesbyfemaleswholeavematernityroostsinbuildingsoncethepupsareweanedandbymalebatsseekingtoattractfemalesformating,assexuallyactivemalesofbothspecieswereencounteredsinglyorwithfemalesintheautumn.Brownlong-earedsdidnotshowanyseasonality.Researchsincethe1960sonthematingbehaviourofthisspeciesshowsthatmatingoccursmainlyinwinterandearlyspring,ratherthanautumn.Thismayexplainthelackofseasonalityintheoccurrenceofthisspeciesinboxes,asunlikepipistrelleandLeisler’sbat,malebrownlong-earedsdonotsetupautumnmatingrooststoattractfemales.

Swift(1998)referstoastudybyAltringham&Bullockwhereabatboxschemewassetupinaconiferousforestinsouth-eastScotlandinanareawheretherewerefewalternativeroostsites.Withinthreeyears60%oftheboxeshadbeenused,withpipistrellesthemostnumerousbutonlyformatingpurposes,whilebrownlong-earedandNatterer’sbatbothformednurserycolonies,aswasthecaseinthisstudyforlong-earedsinPortumnaandNatterer’sinGlengarriff,butalsoDaubenton’sinGarryland.

Brownlong-earedbatcoloniesaretypicallysmallcomparedwiththoseofotherspecies,generallyfrom10-20adults(Entwistleetal.,1997)anditisoneoftheEuropeanspeciesthatmostfrequentlyusesbatboxesandoneofthefewthatformsnurserycoloniesinthem.Thesustainedpresenceofgroupsoflong-earedbatsatPortumnaisinagreementwiththisandmirrorsthesouth-eastScottishexperiencewherethisspeciesreadilyadoptedboxesinconiferouswoodlandthatofferednonaturalroosts.Yet,someoftheboxesinPortumnaareondeciduoustreesandtherewasasignificantpositiverelationshipexhibitedbythisspeciesandtreediameter.Itisclearthatfurtherworkisneededtodeterminethefactorsinfluencingtheuseofboxesbythelong-earedbats.

Theotherfactorthatprovedsignificantwasthelengthoftimetheboxeswereinplace,withoccupancyratesincreasingforallthreespecies,althoughinthecaseofpipistrellesthisincreaseappearstohavestabilised.So,althoughtheboxeswereoccupiedveryquickly,ittookseveralyearsbeforetheywereregularlyoccupiedandbeforeclustersofbatswereformedandbreedingwasconfirmed.

29

Inthisstudyfourspeciesorgroupsformedclustersinboxes,pipistrelles,brownlong-eared,Daubenton’sandNatterer’s,probablyreflectingthelengthoftimetheboxeshavebeeninplace,althoughNatterer’sbatadoptedthe2FNboxesinGlengarriffveryquickly.IntheUKVWTstudythisspecieswasabletochoosebetweenseventypesofboxesandselectedthe2Fmodeloverthe2FN;bothmodelsprovidespaceforclusteringintheroof,themajordifferenceisoneopeninginthefrontdoorpaneloftheformerwhereastherearetwoopenings,aslitnearthebottomoftheboxatthefrontandonetotherear,inthelatter.

NosignificanceforboxoccupancyinrelationtoavarietyoffactorswasdetectedinthisstudyofPortumnaForestPark.Althoughaspectisoftenconsideredtobeanimportantfactortoconsiderwhenerectingboxes,thiswasnotthecasehere.Severalstudieshavetestedtheinfluenceofaspectwithvaryingresults(norelevanceinawoodintheUK-Dodds&Bilston,2013;preferencesforeast-facingboxesduringbreedinginawoodinSpain-Flaqueretal.,2006).InguidelinesforerectingbatboxesinthenorthernhemisphereprovidedbyBatConservationIreland(www.batconservationireland.org)andtheBatConservationTrust(www.bats.org.uk)bothorganisationsrecommendthatboxesshouldbepositionedsothattheyreceivesunlightforseveralhourseachday–soonasoutherlyorwesterlyaspect-becauselackofwarmthis

consideredtobethemainreasonwhybatboxesarenotusedbybats.Thismaybemorecriticalifonlytwoorthreeboxesarebeingerectedasopposedtoalargeschemewithtensofboxesinwoodland.AlltheboxesinplaceinPortumna,GarrylandandKnockmawoodswerevisitedinJune2015andtheirdegreeofexposuretosunwasassessedwithmostcategorisedasreceivingdappledsunlight,withlownumbersasshadedorexposed,thereforetheeffectofaspectmaybemodifiedtosomeextentbytreecover.

ThemonthofMaywasthepeaktimeforoccupancybybirdsof2FNboxesinthethreewoodsandundoubtedlypreventedtheirusebybats.Severalstudieshaveremarkedontheexclusionofbatsbybirdsoccupyingdifferentmodelsofbatbox(Meddingsetal.,2011;Dodds&Bilston,2013),butoccupationcanoperateinreverse;brownlong-earedbatsusedbirdboxeserectedinapineforestincentralSpain(Benzal,1991)andataLondonwoodland,WythamWoods,batsmovedintoSchweglerbirdboxeserectedforgreatandbluetits(Cyanistes(Parus)caeruleusandParusmajor),asdescribedbyDaniLintoninapresentationatthe2012BelgiumBatHouseMeeting.Dodds&Bilston(2013)describetheuseofbatboxesbybirdsdespitetheavailabilityofbirdboxesonthesametreeandstatethattheinfluenceofbirdcompetitionwassignificantandboxesneedtobemodifiedtoexcludebirds,includingthelargehibernationandsummermodels.

Photograph: Knockma woods

30

Portumna,theydisappearedintonaturallyoccurringcracksofthetreeonwhichtheboxwashungoronanadjacenttree.

KnockmaWoodwasthesmallestofthethreewoodlandschosenandtheresultsreflectthiswithfewerspeciesandnumberofbatsrecorded,yetmoreLeisler’sbatswererecordedherethanatCoole-Garryland.Itispossiblethatthewoodlandmanagementbeingundertakenwillenhancethissiteforbats.Littlecanbesaidabouttheone-yearschemeatBallykyneWood,exceptthatpipistrellebatswererecordedintheboxesveryquickly,probablybecausetherewasalargenurserycolonyinabuildingwithin500mofthewood.ResultsfromGlengarriffWoodarediscussedinChapter2.

TheVWTstudyhasshownthatsevenofthenineIrishbatspeciesuseartificialbatroostsintheformofwoodcreteboxesforavarietyofreasonsbutcertainlyforbreedingandmating.Somespecies,suchasbrownlong-eareds,formclustersandappeartoberesidentwithinthewoods,whilemanyboxescontainsingleorsmallnumbersandmayindicatetransientuse.Whiskered/Brandt’sbatwasararelyrecordedoccupant,possiblysurprisingasitisaspeciesassociatedwithwoodlandbutthisisoneofthemostrarelyrecordedbatspeciesinIreland(BatConservationIreland,2014).Aneighthspecies,Nathusius’pipistrelle,wasnotrecordedinVWTbatboxesbutdidoccurinaboxerectedasamitigationmeasure.Theonlyspeciesnotrecordedwasthelesserhorseshoebatbut,asmentionedearlier,thisspeciesisnotabletoaccesstheopeningsintheboxes,althoughitwilluseabatboxasaperchfromwhichtohang(C.Morrispers.comm.).UnfortunatelythedatacollectedbytheVWTwerenotinaformatthatcouldbeeasilysharedwithBatConservationIrelandwheninformationonallIrishbatswasbeingcollatedforthe2014publication‘Irishbatsinthe21stcentury’,butasaresultofthisstudythesedataarenowbeingincorporatedintoBatConservationIreland’sbatdatabase.

ThetwohibernationboxeserectedatPortumnawerequicklyadoptedbybirds,althoughalsousedbygroupsofpipistrellesandononeoccasionbrownlong-earedbats.Bilston(2014)investigatedmethodstoexcludebirdsfrom1FSand2FNboxesduringthenestingseasoninanancientwoodlandinBuckinghamshireusingexpandedfoamtorestrictthesizeoftheentranceandtheinternalareaavailabletonestingbirds,butstillenablingbatstoroost.Thefirstyearresultswerepositive,withtheexclusionmeasuresworking100%inbothboxmodels.Batoccupationratesinthe1FSboxes,thepreferredmodel,werehigherinthemodifiedboxesduringthebirdnestingseasonthaninpreviousyears.

PortumnaForestParkwastheobviouswoodlandinwhichtoerectbatboxesasthiswaswherethebarbastellewasbelievedtohavebeendetectedandithasprovedtobeaverysuccessfulschemeforpipistrelle,long-earedandLeisler’sbats.Althoughsomedeciduoustreesoccurmanyoftheboxesarelocatedonconifersthatdonotoffernaturalroosts.Nodoubtthelakeshoreandotherwetlandsassociatedwiththeparkprovideadequateforaginggroundsforbatsthatnowchoosetoroostinthewoodusingtheboxes.ItisinterestingthatnoDaubenton’sbatswerefoundintheboxesduringinspections,yetacolonyisknowntoroostinthestoneworkofbuildingsadjacenttothepark.OnoccasionswhenpipistrellesandLeisler’sbatswereactiveduringinspectionsandflewawayonopeningthebox,theywereusuallyobservedenteringanotheradjacentbatbox.

Coole-Garrylandwaschosenasastudysitebecauseitwasthebestexampleofasemi-naturalbroad-leavedoakwoodlandinthecountywitheaseofaccess,thatmighthavebeensuitableforbarbastellebats.Morespeciesofbatwererecordedherethanattheotherwoods,onlyNatterer’sbatwasunrecorded.However,thisspeciesispresentintheareabecauseacolonyofapproximately50batswereidentifiedinadawnsurveyastheyenteredagapinastonewallofthecourtyardclosetothevisitorcentre(O’Mahony,1998).WhenbatsflewawayfromboxesinGarrylandduringinspections,incontrastto

31Photograph: 1ff bat box in Portumna forest Park

32

2. otHeR BAt Box scHeMesThreeotherbatboxschemesusedSchweglerbatboxesandtheresultsofthesearepresentedhere.TheGlengarriffschemewasinitiatedbytheVWTandisnowmanagedbytheCorkCountyBatGroup,butrecordsforcertainyearswerecollectedbytheCentreofIrishBatResearch(CIBR).

figure 11: Map of other bat box studies included in this report

The422FNboxesmovedtoGlengarriffinMay2003werelocatedattwosites,intheoakwoodwithinthenaturereserveandonpinetreesinanearbyCoillteplantation.Table12showstheresultsfrominspectionsfortheyears2003to2010andFigure11thelocationoftheboxes.

2.1 Glengarriff Wood

33

year

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

monTh

August

February

May

June

May

June

May

February

July

July

siTe baT Presence

Oak wood

Conifer

Both sites

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

Oak wood

Conifer

2 male soprano pipistrelles in separate boxes, sexually activeMale and female Leisler’s bats in a box – male sexually active

2 soprano pipistrelles in separate boxes

No bats present, old droppings present in many boxes

2 soprano pipistrelles in separate boxes, droppings in other boxes

Bat droppings only in eleven boxes

1 soprano pipistrelle

Bat droppings only in some boxes

7 Natterer’s bats in one box, 1 Natterer’s in another box

Bat droppings only in some boxes

20 Natterer’s in one box, young present1 male Natterer’s in another box1 male Leisler’s in another box

Bat droppings only in some boxes

No bats, droppings in some boxes

No bats, droppings in some boxes

No bats, droppings in some boxes

No bats, droppings in some boxes

55 Natterer’s in a box; 32 adult females, 1 adult male, 11 juvenile females and 11 juvenile males1 female Natterer’s bat in another box

1 whiskered/Brandt’s bat in a box1 male common pipistrelle in another box

A total of 64 Natterer’s in two boxes

39 brown long-eared bats in one box, juveniles present1 male soprano pipistrelle in another box

table 12: Results from inspections of bat boxes at Glengarriff Wood, 2003 -2010

34

BatswererecordedintheboxesduringthefirstinspectioninAugust2003whenitappearsasiftheboxesatbothsiteshadbeenadoptedasmatingroostsbymalepipistrelleandLeisler’sbats.Lownumbersofsopranopipistrelleswererecordedin2004and2005andNatterer’sfirstappearedin2006andwerepresentin2007and2009andwereusingtheboxesforbreeding.Thisspecieswasprobablyalsopresentin2008butnosummervisitwaspossiblethatyear.Eightyearsaftererection,amaternitygroupoflong-earedsmovedintoaboxintheconiferwood,andalthoughboxeshereheldlownumbersofbats,theyhadbeenusedbyfivedifferentspeciesby2010.

AstudyoftheuseofnaturalandartificialroostsbyNatterer’sbatwasconductedintheUKbyPhillips(2009).Roostswerefoundinareasofhighunderstoreygrowthandclosetowaterbodies,featuresincommonwiththeoakwoodatGlengarriff.ThepresenceofbreedingfemalesinboxesintheUKstudywasthoughttoberelatedtothewarmerandmorehumidconditionsprovidedbythebatboxes. illustration: Natterer’s bat.

2.2 clare county Bat group

TheClareCountyBatGrouperected35Schweglerbatboxesin2008and2009withgrantassistancefromtheHeritageCounciltowardsthepurchaseoftheboxes.Theboxeswerelocatedinfivewoodswithinthecounty(Figure11)andweregenerallycheckedinearlyspringandlateautumnduringtheyears2008to2014.Table13givesdetailsofthefivesitesandtheresultsobtained.

Photographs: (left) Members of the Clare County Bat Group checking a bat box, (right) soprano pipistrelle in a bat box in kilrush.

35

siTe name

Shannon

Flagmount

Kilrush

Ennis

O’Briensbridge

Woodland TyPe

Sycamore & beech at

edge of estuary

Mixed Coillte woodland

at lake edge

Mixed Coillte woodland

with adjacent beech

woodland

Mixed woodland

Riparian woodland

2fn 1ff sPecies commenTs

3

4

4

3

3

18

Pipistrelle, Leisler’s,

Daubenton’s

Pipistrelle, Leisler’s,

Brown long-eared

Pipistrelle, Leisler’s,

unidentified

Pipistrelle, Myotis

spp.

Pipistrelle

(105 Bats in Total)

Bird nests in 2FNs

All 8 boxes in use.

Bird nests in 2FNs.

2 boxes stolen, 1 box

damaged. Dead pipistrelle

found. Bird nests in 2FNs.

1 box damaged. Bird nests in

2FNs. Dead pipistrelle found.

1 box damaged. Dead

pipistrelle found. Bird nests

in 2FNs.

table 13: Results of the Clare County Bat Group Bat Box Scheme

3

4

5

3

3

17

Inthefirstthreeyearsofthestudy81%oftheboxeshadbeenusedbybats.The1FFboxeswereusedmorethanthe2FNsandthepatternofoccupancyvaried.

2.3 waterford

EighteenSchwegler2FNbatboxeswereerectedintwowoodlandsinSeptemberandOctober2013;12inamixedwoodlandalongariverinLismoreand6alongatreelineattheedgeofthevillageofCheekpoint,closetomixedwoodland(Figure11).

TheboxeswerecheckedinMayandSeptember2014withanadditionalvisittoLismoreinJune.AlldroppingsfoundwerecollectedandspeciesidentifiedusingDNAanalysis.ThreesopranopipistrelleswerefoundinLismoreandalldroppingsfoundwerethoseofsopranopipistrelles.NobatsusedtheboxesatCheekpoint.

Photograph: Pipistrelles in a 1ff box.

36

2.5 Mount falcon

DrTinaAughney,BatEcologist,providedinformationontheuseofSchweglerbatboxesasamitigationmeasurefortheremovaloftreesduringroadimprovementstotheN26,southofBallina,CountyMayo,inthevicinityofMountFalconEstate.MayoCountyCouncilprovidedthefundingforthepurchaseoftheboxes.Eighteen2FNboxeswereerectedonsixtreesinsixdifferentlocations,thereforethreeboxestoatree.

Thespeciesoftreeschosenwereabeechinthecentreofabeechwoodland,abeechattheedgeofanopengladeinamixedwoodland,abeechneartheedgeofamixedwoodland,aconiferattheedgeofapondandclosetoatrackway,abeechinthecentreofasecondbeechwoodlandandanoakinthecentreofamixedwoodland.Alltheboxeswerelocated4mhighandpositionedsouth-east,southandsouth-west.

TheboxeswerecheckedinSeptember2004byDrAughneywhofoundbatdroppingsin16ofthe18boxeswiththeotherboxesblockedbybirdnests.Fouroftheboxeshadbatsoftwospecies,sopranopipistrelle(one,twoandfourindividualsinthreeboxes)andthreeLeisler’sbatsinonebox.

Photograph: Schwegler 1FD, 1FF and 1F bat boxes.

2.4 wicklow national Park

AstudywasundertakenbyEndaMullen,DistrictConservationOfficerNPWS,atWicklowNationalParkinsummer2012onaseriesofcommerciallyavailablebatboxestotesthowthesecomparedtotheconditionsinsideamaternitypipistrellebatroostwithinanatticwithrespecttotemperatureandhumidityvalues.Thepurposeofthestudywastodetermineifbatboxesweresuitableasalternativeroostsforbatsthatneededtobeexcluded,underlicence,fromoccupiedhousesandwaspartfundedbytheHeritageCouncil.

Geminidataloggerswereusedtomeasuretemperatureandhumiditywithintheroost,withinthreetypesofSchweglerboxes(2FN,1FD,1FF)andtwotimberboxes,andonawest-facingwindowledgeonthebuildingonwhichtheboxeswerefitted.ThetimberboxeswereastandardtimberbatboxandatimbermaternitystylespecificallydesignedfortheprojectbyBatroostIreland(www.batroostireland.org).TheBatroostIrelandboxwasconstructedusingadesignfromBatConservationInternational(www.batcon.org)andcontainedacopperpipefilledwithsandinthetopoftheboxtoserveasaheatreservoir.

Themainfindingsfromthisstudywereasfollows:

•Temperaturewithintheatticwasconsistentlywarmerthanexternalambienttemperature

•Temperaturewithintheboxeswasconsistentlycoolerthanthatintheattic

•Temperaturewithintheboxescloselymatchedthatofambienttemperature

•Therewaslittlevariationintemperaturevaluesbetweenthedifferentboxtypes

•The1FFandBatroostIrelandboxeshadmeantemperaturevaluesclosesttotheatticvalues,withthe1FFperformingslightlybetter

•Thereweredifferencesinhowtemperaturevariedbetweenthe1FFandBatroostIrelandbox,withtheformerheatingupquickerbydaybutthelatterretainingheatlongerduringthenight

•Humidityvalueswerelowerintheatticthanintheboxesandagainthe1FFwasclosesttotheatticvalues

37

Photograph: Schwegler 1FD, 1FF and 1F bat boxes.

2.6 Bat Boxes and Agri-environment schemes

Incontrasttopreviousagri-environmentschemesthecurrentGLASschemepromotestheuseofbatboxesasaseparatemeasurethatfarmerscanchoosetoimplement.Inpreviousschemestherewasnodistinctionmadebetweenbatandbirdboxes,sonoinformationisavailableastohowmanybatboxeswereerectedinthepastoranywayofdetermininghowsuccessfulorotherwisethismeasurewas,butthegeneralviewofthismeasureisthattheerectionofbatboxeswasanawarenessraisingexerciseratherthanapracticalconservationaction(C.Keena,pers.comm.).AvarietyoftimberbatboxeshavebeenondisplayattheTeagascCentreinAthenry,CountyGalwaysince2008andareusedtoraiseawarenessaboutbatsamongstfarmersandadvisorsduringopendaysatthecentre.UnderGLAStherateofpaymenteachyearperbatboxis€13,withaminimumofthreeboxesandamaximumof15allowedperfarmer.Farmersarereportedtohaveoptedtoerect80,000batboxesatacostof€1.04mperyear(IrishIndependent,30/06/2015).

2.7 summary

TheresultsobtainedbythesedifferentstudieshaveaddedtoourknowledgeoftheuseofbatboxesinIreland.Natterer’sbatisnowconfirmedasusingboxesforbreedinghere.AutumninspectionsandhandlinghasprovidedadditionalevidenceoftheuseofboxesasmatingroostsbypipistrelleandLeisler’sbat.TheClareprojectshowedahighsuccessratewithinthreeyearsandagainhighlightedtheproblemofbirdnestsinthe2FNs.Interestingly,allthedroppingsanalysedfromtheWaterfordboxeswerefromsopranopipistrellesandnoneoftheboxeserectedclosetoavillagewereused.

Photograph: bat boxes at Teagasc, athenry.

TheWicklowstudydiffersfromtheothersinthatitwasdesignedtoinvestigateaspecificquestion–canboxesberecommendedasalternativesummerroostsforbatsexcludedfrombuildings?TheSchwegler1FFbatboxperformedbetterthantheotherfivetypestestedinrelationtotemperatureandhumidity,butthefinalconclusionfromthisstudywasthatnoneofthecommerciallyavailableboxesaresuitablealternativesasmaternityroostsforsopranopipistrellebatsandarethereforenotsuitableasamitigationmeasurewhenbatsneedtobeexcludedunderlicence.

TheMt.Falconpost-mitigationstudyprovedonceagainthat2FNboxesarereadilyadoptedbysopranopipistrellesandLeisler’s,butalsobirds.ThesefindingsaresimilartothosefromeightbatboxprojectsinvestigatedbyBatConservationIrelandinareporttotheHeritageCouncilin2008titled‘Aninvestigationoftheimpactofdevelopmentprojectsonbatpopulations:comparingpreandpost-developmentbatfaunas’.Atotalof150boxeswereexamined,ofwhich137werewoodcrete(2F,2FN,1FF,1FS,and2F-DFP)andtheremainderstandardorwedgetimberboxes.Noneofthetimberboxeswereusedbybats,whilethewoodcreteoneswereusedbysopranoandcommonpipistrelles,Leisler’sandDaubenton’sbats,whilemanyotherboxeshadbatdroppings.Nolong-earedswererecorded.Ofthe91individualbatsobservedin33boxes,75%weresopranopipistrelle,and19%,5%and1%werecommon,Leisler’sandDaubenton’srespectively.Sevenboxesweredamaged.

Thefollowingrecommendationsweremadearisingfromthisstudy:

•AllbatboxschemesshouldberegisteredwithBatConservationIreland•Boxesshouldbeerected4-5mabovegroundlevelinareaswithlowpublicaccess•Boxesshouldbefixedsecurelytotreestopreventmovementbywind•Boxesshouldbecheckedatleastonceeverytwoyears•Boxesunusedwithin3-4yearsshouldberelocated

Althoughtheerectionofbatboxeswastheonlymeasureforbatsincludedinpastagri-environmentalschemes,noinformationisavailableonhowmanywereerectedorhowsuccessfulorotherwisethismeasurewasforbats.Hopefully,someinformationwillbecollectedonhoweffective,otherthanawareness-raising,theproposedexpenditureof€1.04millionayearforfiveyearsonbatboxeswillbeunderthecurrentGLASscheme.

38

3. BAt Boxes As MitigAtion MeAsuRes

3.1 Background

Since1998theprotectionofindividualbatsandtheirbreedingandrestingsiteshascomewithintheremitoflocalauthoritiesinrelationtoproposeddevelopmentsrequiringapprovalbythesebodies,asdescribedinDirective2001/42/ECof27June2001.Guidelineswereproducedin2006(Kelleher&Marnell)toprovideassistancetothoseinvolvedinland-useplanninganddevelopmentwherebatswereknownorsuspectedtooccur.Theuseofbatboxeswasconsideredtobeanappropriateformofmitigation,withsomequalifications,specificallywhereroostsoflowconservationsignificanceweregoingtobelosttodevelopments,buttheywerenotconsideredappropriatesubstitutesforsignificantroostsinbuildings.Schweglerboxeswererecommendedduetotheirdurabilityandreducedmaintenanceandthreeboxes(amixofmodels)weresuggestedpertreetocaterfortheneedsofbatsonaseasonalandspeciesbasis.

3.2 online survey

ApartfromtheassessmentconductedbyBatConservationIrelandin2008andreferencedinChapter2,littleinformationwasavailableonhowmanybatboxeshadbeenproposedasmitigationmeasures,howsuccessfulthesehadbeenandhowtheresultsoftheseschemesmightcomparetotheVWTboxes.ForthisreasontheonlinesurveytoolSurveyMonkeywasusedinthisstudytogatherinformationfromecologistsandbatprofessionalsonbatboxschemestheyhadrecommended,thepurposesforwhichtheywererecommended,thenumberandtypesofboxesusedandtheresultsobtained.Initiallyatrialsurveywassenttoalimitednumberofbatprofessionalsforfeedbackonthecontentofthesurveytomaximizeitseffectivenessandfollowingthisafinalsurveywascirculated(Appendix2)to15recipients,includingBatConservationIreland,theCharteredInstituteofEcologyandEnvironmentalManagement(CIEEM)andtheEnvironmentalScienceAssociationofIreland(ESAI).Responseswerereceivedfromeightsourcesandarepresentedbelow.Inadditiontothe13questionsposed,contributorswerealsoinvitedtosupplyadditionalcommentsinaseparateboxattheendofthesurveyform.

Photographs: Pages from the online survey

39

3.3 Results

Q1. Have you recommended the use of bat boxes as a mitigation measure?

Yes7/8No1/8

Q2. How many bat box schemes have you installed?

Q3. Why did you recommend the use of bat boxes?

Other:Habitatenhancement,demonstrationpurposes,topromotewildlifeingardensandatschools

40

Q4. If yes, what kind of box have you recommended? (Please enter model, type of wood and source where possible)

Q5. Were the boxes intended as maternity or hibernation roosts?

Maternity2/8Hibernation5/8

Q6. Are the boxes being used as maternity or hibernation roosts?

Maternity2/8Hibernation2/8

Q7. If there was any post construction monitoring, what species have you recorded?

Q8. For how many years were the boxes monitored?

1year1/82years2/812years1/8

41

Q9. How often were the boxes checked?

Annually4/8Seasonally2/8

Q12. Were you able to detect any preferences with regards to the following?

Q10. Were boxes checked during the winter?

Yes1/8No5/8

Q11. Were boxes put in place prior to loss of habitat?

Yes4/8No1/8

Q13. Would you recommend bat boxes as a suitable mitigation measure?

Yes7/8No1/8

3.4 discussion

TheresultsobtainedbythissmallsurveyindicatethatSchweglerboxesarethemainboxtypebeingusedandtheyareprimarilybeingusedasmitigationforlossofroosts.Fourspecieshavebeenrecordedandboxesarebeingusedasmaternityandhibernationroosts.Wherepostmonitoringistakingplace,preferencefortypeofboxandseasonwasdetectedinafewcasesandallbutonecontributorsaidtheywouldrecommendtheuseofboxesasamitigationmeasureinthefuture.

However,thelackofpost-erectionmonitoringwasacommonthemeraisedbyanumberofparticipants.Oneecologistrecommendedtheuseofover200boxes

infivecasesyetnoorlittlepostmonitoringworkwaspossibleduetolackoffunding.AdditionalcommentsraisedarediscussedinChapter4.

BatConservationIrelandisconductingafieldsurveyofbatboxschemesin2015andiscurrentlycreatingaregisterandadatabaseofsuchschemesinordertogatherinformationaboutIrishbatsusingbatboxes(www.batconservationireland.org).AlltheVWTbatboxdatahavenowbeentransferredtoBatConservationIrelandforthispurposeandcontributorstotheVWTSurveyMonkeywereaskediftheywishedtobeinvolvedwiththis.

42

4. RecoMMendAtions

4.1 introduction

Stebbings&Walsh(1991)refertoadescriptionofboxesprovidedforbatsthatwaspublishedinFrancein1918.InterestinprovidingboxesforbatsincreasedthroughoutEuropeandNorthAmericainthe20thcenturyandtwomeetingshavebeenconvenedinBelgiumtodiscussthistopic;the2012and2014BatHouseMeetings.Therearemanyreviewsofartificialroostsforbats(Mering&Chambers,2014;Poulton,2006;Boye&Dietz,2004;Swift,2004),thecommonaimofwhichistodrawconclusionsontheirsuccessandtoprovideadviceonfutureuse.Thischapterpresentsasummaryofanumberofthese.However,itshouldbenotedthatbecausethedefinitionofthesuccessofabatboxschemewillvarydependingonthereasonforprovidingtheboxes,sotoowilltherecommendationsforthebestwaytodeployboxes.

4.2 vwt irish Bat Box Project

IfabarbastellebathadbeenfoundonceinaboxinPortumnaForestbutnoneoftheother161boxeshadeverbeenused,thisprojectwouldhavebeendeemedasuccess.Althoughabarbastellewasnotrecorded,thefollowingrecommendationscanbemade,basedontheresultsofthisschemeandincorporatinganalysisbyTeesdale(2006).

1FFSchweglerboxesarerecommendedforusebypipistrelles,particularlyiftheboxesarelocatedclosetowater.2FNboxesarerecommendedforusebygroupsofbrownlong-eareds,Natterer’sandDaubenton’sbats.Leisler’sbatdoesnotappeartohaveapreference.Thelongertheboxesareinplace,thenumberofbatsandnumberofspeciesusingthemwillincrease.Boxesareimportantasmatingsitesformalesofspecies,suchaspipistrellesandLeisler’s,whichseektoattractfemalesintheautumn.2FNsareusedbybirdsduringthenestingseasonandarethusunavailabletobatssoamodificationtoreducetheaccesspointtodeterbirdsshouldbemadetotheseboxes.Usingwiretoloopboxesinpairsontreesisnotrecommended,particularlyforfastgrowingconiferspecies.

• Thelackoffundingforposterectionmonitoringwasacommonconcernandthevalidityofproposingboxesasamitigationmeasurewithoutadequatemonitoringwasquestioned.

• Therequiredperiodofmonitoringshouldbeextendedfromoneyeartoallowamorevalidassessmentofsuccess.

• Abatboxschemeshouldonlybeerectedinanareathatisalreadyinusebybatsandthatboxesshouldbelocatedasclosetotheoriginalroostaspossible.

• Itwastheopinionofonecontributorthatsomeschemeshavebeenplacedtooclosetoanewroadandthattoomanyboxeswereerected.

• BatboxesonmasonrybridgewallsdonotattractthetargetspeciesofDaubenton’sandNatterer’sbats.

• Batboxesmayreplacetreeroostsbutnotmaternityroosts;anexamplewasgivenofapipistrellecolonyattemptingtouseaseriesofbuildingsafterbeingexcludedfromtheoriginalroost,ratherthanusingbatboxesthathadbeenerectedasthemitigationmeasure.

• Batboxesareasuitablemitigationmeasureforthelossofasmallroostofacommonspecies.

• Batboxesareusefulastransitionalandmatingroostsandoccasionallyashibernationsites.

• Schweglerbattubes(1FR,2FR&1GS)arerecommendedbyoneecologistforDaubenton’sbatsexcludedfrombridgecrevices,wheretheseareattachedtotheundersideofarches.

4.3 online survey opinions

AsmentionedinChapter3,manycontributorstotheSurveyMonkeysuppliedfeedbackontheuseofbatboxesinadditiontothatpromptedbythethirteenquestions,themainpointsraisedarepresentedhere:

4.4 Bat conservation trust’s Bat Box information PackThestudyundertakenbySwift(2004)formedthebasisforarevisedleafletonbatboxesintheUK,whichisavailableasaneightpagedownloadablefile(www.bats.org.uk).Someofthemainrecommendationsin

43

thisleafletarethattheboxshouldbedraughtproofandmadeofathermallystablematerialsuchasuntreatedwood,woodcrete,brickorstone.Ideallytheboxshouldhaveseveralinternalchambers.Lackofwarmthisnotedasthemostimportantknowncauseofbatboxfailure,soadviceisgivenforplacingboxesforuseasnurserysitesinasoutherlyorwesterlyaspectandthatanumberofboxesshouldbeplacedontheonetreetoprovidethebatswithavarietyofroostingtemperatures.Locationisalsoconsideredtobeakeyfactorinthesuccessofabatbox,soboxesshouldbeerectedwherebatsareknowntofeed,suchasclosetowaterortrees,andalsoclosetolinearfeaturessuchastreelinesorhedgerowsthatbatsusefornavigationpurposes.

4.5 Bat conservation ireland’s Bat Box guidance notes for Agri-environmental schemes

TheseguidelineswereupdatedinJanuary2015tocoincidewiththenewGLASagri-environmentalschemeandareavailableasasixpagedownloadablefile(www.batconservationireland.org).Someofthemainrecommendationsinthisdocumentarethatboxesshouldbelocatedonthefarmwherebatshavebeenseenflying,woodcreteboxesshouldbeusedbecauseoftheirdurability,anumberofboxtypesshouldbeerectedingroupsofthreefacingdifferentdirections,andboxesshouldnotbelocatedinilluminatedpartsofthefarm.

4.6 Bat boxes as a monitoring tool

woodlandandnottheindividualbatbox.Certaincaveatswereraised,suchasthefactthatpopulationestimatescouldnotbereliablymadeusingthismethod,theinvasivenatureofsuchamethodandthepotentialrisktoexistingwoodlandbatcommunitiesusingnaturalcavitiesbyintroducinglargenumbersofartificialroosts.

Anumberoftheseconcernshavesincebeeninvestigatedandthereisincreasingevidencetosupporttheuseofbatboxschemesasasuitablemonitoringtoolforselectedspecies.InapresentationtotheBelgianBatHousemeetingsreferencedearlier,MatthewDoddsstatedthatbatboxesshouldnowbeconsideredtobeapassivemonitoringtool,disturbancecanbeminimisedbyadoptingasuitableprotocol,suitablespeciesareNatterer’s,Daubenton’sandbrownlong-eared,boxesarejustasreadilyusedinmaturedeciduouswoodlandasconiferous,birdaccesstoboxesneedstobeprevented,batsusingboxesdonotabandonnaturalroostsandappropriatemodellingwilldetectpopulationfluctuations.TheinformationbasisforthesestatementshasprimarilycomefromstudiesbymembersoftheNorthBucksBatGroupinFinemereWood,Buckinghamshire,severalofwhichhavebeensubmittedforMasterandPhDtheses(Dodds,2008;Phillips,2009;Bilston,2011).

InGuidelinesforSurveillanceandMonitoringofEuropeanBats(Battersby,2010)thequestionofusingcountsofcoloniesofbatsinbatboxesasameansofmonitoringbatswasdiscussed.Theconclusionwasthatthismightbetheonlysuitablemethodforsomewoodlandspecieswhosenaturalroostsareseldomfoundandwhichoftenusearoostnetwork,whichinIrelandincludesDaubenton’s,Natterer’sandbrownlong-earedbats.However,itwasclearlystatedthatinsuchcasesthesamplingunitwouldbetheareaof

4.7 guidelines for a robust experimental study of bat box use in ireland

AlthoughalimitedamountofinformationwasredeemedfromtheVWTbatboxscheme,probablythelargestsingleschemeinIreland,significantresultswereobtainedandwhencombinedwithresultsfromotherstudiesclearlydemonstratethatbatboxeshaveapositiveroletoplayinbatconservationandecology.However,moredataareneededinordertomaximisethepotentialbatboxeshaveasconservation,mitigationormonitoringtools.

Inconcludingremarksundertheheading‘ManagementImplications’intheirpaper‘ThinkingOutsidethe

44

Box:AReviewofArtificialRoostsforBats’,Mering&Chambers(2014)statedthatadditionalresearchisneededandshouldfocusonmeasuringaconsistentsetofparametersthatcanbecomparedacrossstudies,suchasdimensionsandvolumeofartificialroosts,percentageoccupancy,location,height,aspect,typeofuseandmicroclimate–temperatureatleast.

JustovertenyearsearlierAltringham(2003)madeanappealforasystematicstudyofthevalueofbatboxesandsuggestedapossibleprojectdesign:•Minimumof50boxes•Ifusingasinglemodel,placeboxessothatoccupancycanbecomparedinrelationtoexposuretosun,heightaboveground,treespecies,entranceobstructionbyvegetation,habitattype,microhabitat–suchaswoodlandedgevsinterior•Checkboxesfrequently–monthlyApriltoOctober•Decideonthelevelofinformationcollectedbutaimtominimisedisturbance•Tobeabletodetermineifboxesattractbatsintoahabitat,measurebatactivitybeforeandaftertheintroductionofbatboxes

Poulton(2006)alsoprovidedguidelinesforabatboxschemethatwouldallowmorepowerfulanalysisoftheeffectsofthevariousfactorsatplay,whichwasbasedontheoutcomeofhisanalysisoftheentireVWTbatboxdatabase.

TheguidelinesthatarerelevanttoIrelandareasfollows:

•Selecttensitesthatcouldbecomfortablymonitoredforanumberofyearsandthathadgoodgeographicalspread,butavoidsitesataltitudeorclosetourbanareas•Ateachsite,selecttwentytreesofseveralgenera,inallpartsofthewoodlandusingagridsystemtoensurearandomorregularlocation•Determinethenumberofboxespertree–iffourmodelsarebeingused,oneofeachpertree•Withintheconstraintsofthetree,randomlylocateeachboxatauniqueheightandorientation•Bi-monthlyvisitsshouldgiveasufficientlydetailedpatternofoccupancythroughouttheyear•Continuethesurveyforatleasttwowholeyearsbutpreferablyfourtofivetoaccountforaberrantseasonaloryeareffects

Thisdesignwouldrequireatotalof800boxes,200ofeachoffourtypes,locatedon200treesandoverafive-yearperiodwouldgiveriseto24,000batboxinspections.

Bilston(2014)alsoprovidesguidelinesforfuturebatboxprojectsonwoodlandspecialistspecies,basedonstudiescarriedoutsince2008inwoodlandsinBuckinghamshireandOxfordshire:

• Placingbatboxesatvaryingheights(3mto6m)appearstoattractmorespecies

• Placebatboxesapproximately20mapartfromeachother

• Ensuretheboxisshadedfromsunformostoftheday

• Erectboxesindifferentcompartmentswithinmanagedwoodlandstoallowbatstomoveifnecessary

• Use2FNor1FSboxesthathavebeenmodified

Muchoftheworkinvolvedwithrunningabatboxschemeisnotinvasive,asitisusuallypossibletodeterminethespeciesorspeciesgroupinaboxwithouthandlingtheanimals,therefore,ahandlinglicenceistechnicallyunnecessary.However,itisdesirablethatalicensedandtrainedbatworkerbepresentduringallbatboxinspectionsincasebatsneedtobehandledafteropeningthebox.ObviouslyanystudythatseekstogatherinformationontheindividualswithinagroupwillrequiretherelevantlicencestobeissuedbytheNPWS.

Photograph: 1ff and 2fn bat boxes,

45Photograph: Whiskered bat

46

RefeRencesAltringham,J.D.(2003).Britishbats.HarperCollinsPublishers,London,UK.

Aughney,T.(2008).Aninvestigationoftheimpactofdevelopmentprojectsonbatpopulations:comparingpreandpostdevelopmentbatfaunas.www.batconservationireland.org

BatConservationTrust.(2014).Batboxinformationpack.www.bats.org.uk

BatConservationIreland.(2015).Batsandbatboxes:GuidancenotesforAgri-environmentalschemes.www.batconservationireland.org

Bateman,A.(2007).AsmallmammalpopulationstudyinCoolePark,Gort,CountyGalway.ThesissubmittedforthedegreeofB.Sc.(Hons).DepartmentofZoology,NationalUniversityofIreland,Galway.

Battersby,J.(comp.)(2010).GuidelinesforsurveillanceandmonitoringofEuropeanbats.EUROBATSPublicationSeriesNo.5UNEP.EUROBATS.www.eurobats.org

Benzal,J.(1991).Populationdynamicsofthebrownlongearedbat(Plecotusauritus)occupyingbirdboxesinapineforestplantationincentralSpain.NetherlandsJournalofZoology,41(4),241-249.

Bilston,H.(2014).MaximisingoccupationofbatboxesinanancientwoodlandinBuckinghamshire:asummaryofrecentresearch.BSGEcologyreport.

Boye,P.andDietz,M.(2005).Developmentofgoodpracticeguidelineforwoodlandmanagementforbats.EnglishNatureResearchReportNo.661.Peterborough.

Boyle,P.andMcHughM.(2008).Managementplan–KnockmaHill,Co.Galway.NationalParksandWildlifeService.www.npws.ie

Buckley,D.J.,Puechmaille,S.J.,Roche,N.andTeeling,E.C.(2011).AcriticalassessmentofthepresenceofBarbastellabarbastellusandNyctalusnoctuleinIrelandwithadescriptionofN.leisleriecholocationcallsfromIreland.HystrixIt.J.Mamm.22(1),111-127.

Condell,N.(2007).Aninvestigationintosmallmammaltrappingtechniques.ThesissubmittedforthedegreeofB.Sc.(Hons).DepartmentofZoology,NationalUniversityofIreland,Galway.

Connor,L.(2003).AhabitatstudyofsmallmammalsinCoolePark,Gort,CountyGalway.ThesissubmittedforthedegreeofB.Sc.(Hons).DepartmentofZoology,NationalUniversityofIreland,Galway.

Dietz,C.,VonHelverson,Otto.andNill,D.(2009).BatsofBritain,EuropeandNorthwestAfrica.A&CBlack,London.UK.

Dodds,M.(2008)Acomparisonbetweenacousticsamplingandbatboxinspectionastoolsforassessingandmonitoringbatpopulationsinwoodland.M.Sc.ThesisTheUniversityofBirmingham.

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Entwistle,A.C.,Racey,P.A.andSpeakman,J.R.(1997).RoostselectionbytheBrownLong-earedBat(PlecotusAuritus).JournalofAppliedEcology,34:399-408.

Flaquer,C.,Torre,I.,andRuiz-Jarillo,R.(2006).ThevalueofbatboxesintheconservationofPipistrelluspygmaeusinwetlandricepaddies.BiologicalConservation,128,223-230.

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Guillot,F.(2003).DietofthepipistrellebatbyanalysisoffaecalpelletscollectedinbatboxesinCountyGalway.UnpublishedB.Sc.(Hons)ThesisNationalUniversityofIreland,Galway.

Kelleher,C.andMarnell,F.(2006)BatmitigationguidelinesforIreland.IrishWildlifeManualsSeriesNo.25.NationalParksandWildlifeService.www.npws.ie

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Mering,E.D.andChambers,C.L.(2014).Thinkingoutsidethebox:areviewofartificialroostsforbats.WildlifeSocietyBulletin38(4):741-751.

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Mullen,E.(2012).FindingsuitableaccommodationforbatsexcludedfromhousesinIreland.AreporttotheHeritageCouncilandDepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltacht.

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Swift,S.(2004).Batboxes:surveyoftypesavailableandtheirefficacyasalternativeroosts,andfurtherprogressonthedevelopmentofheatedbathouses.AreporttoTheBatConservationTrustandMammalsTrustUK.

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APPendices

table A: summary of events recorded during visits to Portumna bat boxes for the years 1999 to 2015

year

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

monTh

March

April – October

February, April – October

May – October

April, August, November

May, August, September

April, May, August, October

May, September

April, May, September

April, July, September, October

April, May

April, May, September

acTiViTy obserVaTions

62 Schwegler boxes erected

Boxes inspected monthly

Boxes inspected monthly

Boxes inspected monthly – none in April due to Foot &

Mouth.

Seasonal inspections commence

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Four inspections

Only Spring inspections

Seasonal inspections

Bird activity in most of the 2FNs during first month; first bats found in May - three pipistrelles & 2 brown long-eareds; slow occupation of 1FFs at first, but by Oct. equal numbers of both 1FFs and 2FNs being used by pipistrelles; small groups of long-eareds in 2FNs from June onwards. Hibernation boxes being used by birds.

February – one pipistrelle in each hibernation box. May - dead pipistrelle bat in 1FF box – may have been trapped during April inspection; Hibernation boxes being used by birds from April onwards; Group of 20 pipistrelles in a 1FF; Group of 12 long-eareds in a hibernation box, also single bats.

Discovery in April that Two 1FFs (Boxes 125 & 126) and one 2FN (Box 19) stolen; one Leisler’s bat recorded in a hibernation box.

May – two long-eared bats roosting in a 2FN box with a full nest, but without birds. September – 8 semi torpid pipistrelles in a hibernation box.

October – group of pipistrelles in a hibernation box.

Groups of long-eareds in different boxes both visits.

May – dead long-eared and pipistrelle found in separate boxes – no obvious cause of death. September – dead Leisler’s bat and a dead unidentified juvenile bat found in separate boxes – no obvious cause of death. Group of pipistrelles in a hibernation box.

April – Box 1 removed; Group of long-eareds using hibernation box and also found in some of the 1FFs.

April – Groups of long-eareds found in three different 1FFS.

Dead pipistrelle in 1FF box number 110 – no obvious cause of death.

appendix i - summary tables of visits to VWT schemes

49

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

February, March, April

March, April

August

May

May

April

No autumn checks

Only Spring inspections

Only one inspection

Only one inspection

Only one inspection

August inspection planned

In February the wire of those boxes that could be easily loosened were repositioned on the same tree – nine pipistrelles and one long-eared recorded, most bats roosting singly. One pipistrelle in a hibernation box.

March – wire removed from many of the boxes and boxes rehung using aluminium nails. Box 116 on ground, box 103 – hinge damaged so removed, box 5 removed. Dead long-eared in 2FN box 29 – no obvious cause of death. Group of long-eareds in 2FN box number 18.

August – BCIreland take biometrics from long-eareds. Box 101 removed. Three dead bats found in separate boxes – no obvious cause of death.

Two groups of long-eareds in two different 2FN boxes; 18 Leisler’s counted as they flew out of 2FN box number 30.

Three groups of long-eareds in three different 2FN boxes; four boxes at lake shore not checked to prevent disturbance to nesting birds on island.

Twenty six 2FN boxes and twenty four 1FF boxes remain accessible to bats, both hibernation boxes need to be removed as doors cannot be opened. Group of ten pipistrelles and 10 long-eareds in two separate 2FN boxes; group of 15 long-eareds in 1FF box number 114 and another group of 15 in 1FF box number 123; group of twelve pipistrelles in 1FF box number 127.

1999

2000

March

April – October

April - October

50 2FNs erected

Boxes inspected monthly

Boxes inspected monthly

First bats recorded in May – two male pipistrelles in two boxes, bat droppings in other boxes and bird nests; First Leisler’s bat recorded in box in Coole Park; Male pipistrelles recorded in separate boxes in both Coole & Garryland in autumn, male and female Leisler’s found also. Dead pipistrelle found in September – no obvious cause of death. October – boxes 7 & 8 inaccessible due to turlough.

Dead long-eared bat found in box 8 – presumed drowned, so boxes moved to tree further away from winter water level. Female whiskered/Brandt’s bat recorded. Groups of long-eareds occurring in Garryland. Only single or low numbers of pipistrelles and Leisler’s in Coole.

year monTh acTiViTy obserVaTions

table B: summary of events recorded during visits to coole-Garryland bat boxes for the years 1999 to 2015

50

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

May to October

April – October

May, August, September

April, May, September

May, September

April, June, September

April, May, July

April, May

April, May, Sept

May

March

March, Sept

July

May

Boxes inspected monthly – none in April due to Foot &

Mouth.

Boxes inspected monthly

Seasonal inspections commence

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Spring inspections

Seasonal inspections

One inspection

One inspection

Seasonal inspections

No visit

One inspection

One inspection

Bird nests in boxes in May, dead chicks found in June. Groups of long-eareds found frequently.

Group of ten Daubenton’s bats recorded for the first time in August in Garryland.

Ten boxes from Coole removed and erected in Garryland. Group of Daubenton’s and long-eareds recorded in May; three groups of Daubenton’s recorded in August; one group of Daubenton’s in September.

A group of Daubenton’s recorded each month, as well as groups of long-eareds and pipistrelles. Three decomposed dead bats recorded in May, no species identification possible.

Groups of Daubenton’s, pipistrelles and long-eareds found both months, also single or low numbers of pipistrelles.

Groups of Daubenton’s, pipistrelles and long-eareds found in all months, but only low numbers in September.

Tree with boxes 43/44 fell so boxes removed. Naked baby bat observed in box of group of pipistrelles in May so maternity roost confirmed. Dead juvenile long-eared found in July so breeding of that species also confirmed.

Two male pipistrelle and Daubenton’s bats in box 40 in April.

No groups of any species recorded on visits.

Scheme handed over to the NPWS. In May only one pipistrelle recorded, possibility that some areas with boxes had been flooded previous winter. Forty of the forty eight boxes had nesting material.

One pipistrelle recorded, 23 boxes had bat droppings, also nibbled acorns.

Daubenton’s recorded again in small numbers; again many boxes with nesting material.

One soprano pipistrelle identified, again many boxes with nesting material. Two active wasp nests, one old wasp nest.

No bat recorded; some droppings, thirty six boxes with nesting material or eggs, two boxes found on the ground – one with a wood mouse, both rehung.

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table c: summary of events recorded during visits to knockma bat boxes for the years 1999 to 2015

year

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

monTh

MarchApril – October

April – October

May – October

May – July

May, August, September

May, June, August, September

May, July

February, July

March, June

February, June

May

July

January

acTiViTy obserVaTions

50 2FNs erectedBoxes inspected

monthly

Boxes inspected monthly

Boxes inspected monthly – none in April due to Foot &

Mouth.

Boxes inspected monthly

Seasonal inspections commence

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

One inspection

One inspection

One inspection

One inspection

No bats or droppings recorded during April, droppings in two boxes by May, droppings in 12 boxes by June, three male pipistrelles in three boxes recorded in July, one long-eared and one Leisler’s bat recorded in August, all three species present in low numbers in Sept and October.

Low numbers of pipistrelle and long-eared bats recorded at all visits, small groups of Leisler’s bats recorded from June onwards, but singles of all species in September and October.

Mainly low numbers of pipistrelle and Leisler’s bats, no long-eareds recorded.

38 boxes removed in March.

No bats recorded in May, two more boxes removed. Scheme handed over to NPWS.

12 new boxes erected of three types to bring total to 22. Low numbers of bats – pipistrelle, Leisler’s and long-eared recorded.

Low numbers of pipistrelle, Leisler’s and long-eared bats recorded during both months.

Low numbers of pipistrelle and Leisler’s recorded during both months, long-eared bat recorded again in July.

Low numbers of pipistrelle and Leisler’s recorded during both months.

One pipistrelle in February; five pipistrelles in separate boxes in June, Leisler’s bat droppings in two boxes.

Two Leisler’s bats in two boxes; two pipistrelle bats in two boxes.

Two Leisler’s bats in two boxes; one pipistrelle bat in a box, bird nests removed.

One Leisler’s bat in one box, 1, 3 and 4 pipistrelles in three other boxes.

52

2012

2013

2014

2015

January

January, August

January

January, June

Seasonal inspections

Seasonal inspections

One inspection

Seasonal inspections

Four Leisler’s bats in one box, a single Leisler’s in another box and three pipistrelles in one box.

Single pipistrelles in five boxes in January; three single pipistrelles in three boxes in August, one Leisler’s bat.

Two pipistrelles in two boxes,

Two Leisler’s in two boxes in January; droppings in some boxes, single Leisler’s in one box, two Leisler’s in one box and two single pipistrelles in two boxes.

appendix ii - bat box survey questionnaire

53

54

55

56

The Vincent Wildlife TrustTheVincentWildlifeTrusthasbeenplayingakeyroleinmammalconservationintheRepublicofIrelandsince1991,specificallybatconservation.VWTstaffworkindependently,butareincloseliaisonwiththeNationalParksandWildlifeService.Today,theTrustiscurrentlyworkingonanumberofIrishmammalspecies.Whereaneedisidentified,theTrustwillinitiatearesearchprogrammethatwillsupportotherbodiesworkingtosafeguardthefutureofallmammalsinIreland.

The Vincent Wildlife Trust, Donaghpatrick, Headford, County GalwayTel: 093 35304, Email: katemcaney@vwt.org.uk, www.mammals-in-ireland.ie

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