They forage over a large area in a range of habitats. In September 2009 a member of KBG was carrying out an NBMP Nathusius’s bat survey near Tonbridge. There was a good deal of bat activity which was recorded on a Duet bat detector (which records in frequency division). When analysing the recording later he discovered one pass by what he believed was possibly a Barbastelle bat. As there had been no previous records in Kent, he sent the recording to others with more experience of this species, who thought it was ’almost certainly a Barbastelle bat’. As the identification was based on a single recording of a passing bat only, the KBG are currently counting this record as unconfirmed.
Barbastelle bat
- Barbastella barbastellus
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Barbastelle bat (photo © BCT/Hugh Clark)
- Category: Chiroptera (Bats)
- Identification:
Barbastelle bats have dark fur showing lighter tips on the back, and skin surfaces of black or dark brown.
- Head and body length: 40-55mm
- Forearm length: 35-45mm
- Wingspan : 260-290mm
- Weight: 6-13g
