BatChat

S6E62
🌙 The Bat Night Market
Imagine a world without bats. Ever heard of a market that comes alive at night—just like bats? We visit the Bat Night Market, an immersive event blending art, science, and nature. Inspired by bats and nocturnal life, this market offers a unique experience like no other. Find out more about what’s in store!
🔗 More about the Bat Night Market

🦇 Nene Valley Bat Group Update
Juliette Butter joins us to share the latest updates from Nene Valley Bat Group. From survey results to conservation projects, hear what’s happening in this bat-rich landscape and how the group is making a difference.

🚨 Breaking News: A Rare Bat Discovery in the UK!
Hot off the press—conservationists have discovered one of the UK’s rarest bats in an unexpected location! What does this mean for bat conservation in Britain? Hear from one of the team who made this groundbreaking find.
🔗 Read more on the Bat Conservation Trust’s website
🔗 Claire's lucky bat socks are from Bare Kind

🎧 Tune in now to stay up to date with the latest in the world of bats!

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review BatChat to help more people discover the world of bat conservation.

Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.
Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.

Support the show

Please leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).
Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

S4E38 We return to London's Natural History Museum. This time however, we're in the bowels of the Diptera collection with flygirl herself, Dr Erica McAlister. If you think you recognise that name it's because Erica has graced the airwaves several times before including BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage and The Life Scientific. As you'll hear in this episode, Erica needs help from those of us who regularly handle bats. If you're a bat carer or a bat worker who undertakes bat box checks or trapping surveys, please start collecting all bat ectoparasites from bats and place them into vials of 100% ethanol. Make detailed notes about the species of bat they came from, the sex of the bat, located of ectoparasite & what the bat was doing at the time. A location & the habitat is also a must. As much info as possible! You can then post your specimens to:
Dr Erica McAlister,
Senior Curator; Diptera,
Life Sciences (Insects Division),
The Natural History Museum,
Cromwell Road,
London SW7 5BD.

Your specimens will be added to the collection and your name will eventually appear in the digital collections.
Bat and bird fly recording scheme website
See Piotr Naskrecki's bat fly image here
A short video of Erica talking about bat flies along with more photos here
Ethanol can be purchased here
Sample tubes can be

Support the show

Please leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).
Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Step into the nocturnal world of the Knapp and Papermill Reserve with the Worcestershire Bat Group! In this immersive field recording, join us for a unique bat walk through the varied habitats of this Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve.

This episode captures a real-time adventure as we explore the reserve at night, listening in on bat detectors and identifying an impressive array of bat species, including common and soprano pipistrelles, Daubenton's, noctule, barbastelle, serotine, and a lesser horseshoe bat roost hidden within the old papermill building.

Along the way, we chat with dedicated members of the Worcestershire Bat Group, uncovering their stories on how they got involved with bat conservation and learning about the essential work they do to protect these fascinating creatures. Through their insights, you’ll get a glimpse into the group's efforts, from habitat preservation to public engagement.

Tune in to experience the thrill of bat detection firsthand and discover the diversity of life that comes alive at night in one of Worcestershire’s most treasured reserves!
The Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve
Worcestershire Bat Group
Discover more about bat detectors

Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.
Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.

Support the show

Please leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).
Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

S6E59 This week, we’re diving into an evening adventure at the stunning Tintinhull Gardens in Somerset, owned by the National Trust. Joining the Somerset Bat Group, we’re on the hunt for one of the UK’s rarest bats – the elusive grey long-eared bat.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
🦇 What makes the grey long-eared bat so rare and fascinating
🦇 The Somerset Bat Group’s efforts to discover more about this species within the County
🦇 A behind-the-scenes look at their bat survey in the beautiful gardens of Tintinhull
🦇 Insights into the habitat and behaviors of this secretive bat

Whether you’re a seasoned bat enthusiast or just curious about the creatures of the night, this episode is packed with discovery, conservation passion, and the magic of Somerset’s wildlife.

Links and Resources:

• Learn more about the Somerset Bat Group here and find the results of the GLE project here
• Find out about Tintinhull Gardens here
• Learn about grey long-eared bats here

Follow us to stay updated on all things bats! Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with fellow nature lovers.

Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.
Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.

Support the show

Please leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).
Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

S4E37 Haddon Hall, the private residence of Lord and Lady Edward Manners, is set in the Peak District in the valley of the River Wye. With nine hundred years of history, it is one of the oldest houses in the country and moreover one of the only houses in England to have remained in one family’s ownership for its entire existence. In the corner of the Hall, a large soprano pipistrelle bat roost resides within the roof of the Chapel. Steve chats with Lord Edward about rewilding of the estate, his conservation work in Africa and the fact that he has to clear bat droppings from his desk each morning!

Find out more about wilding of the Medieval Parkland as well as it's ecology
Watch a video of the roost on the Derbyshire Bat Group YouTube page
Advice about bats in historic buildings from Historic England, the bats in churches project and from this collaborative guide.
Send a voice message to BatChat! We want you to get in touch with your favourite bat experience. It doesn’t matter whether it was the first time you’ve ever seen a bat, you might have seen a brief shadow flying past as you were leaving your house, perhaps you’ve been checking bat boxes with your local bat group and saw bats up close for the first time or saw a bat species you've never seen before, perhaps you’ve counted a bat roost this summer and something unusual happened, maybe you heard what bats sound like on a detector and thought it was the coolest thing ever! Whether you’re new to bats or a seasoned bat lover, we want to hear all about your favourite bat experience from this year. Record your voice message here. Don't worry, you can hear it back and re-record it if you don't like it.
Join the conversation on social media using #BatChat
Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatMan

Support the show

Please leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).
Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!