Bats and Farmland Habitats

The presence of suitable habitats on farmland is very important to all species of bat, and particularly to horseshoe bats. Farmland provides foraging grounds for feeding, as well as sites for bats to roost, including particularly valuable hibernation and breeding sites. Many farms are well managed in terms of the needs of bats and other wildlife however the intensification of farming over the past few decades has inevitably impacted in many areas.

Current factors identified as causing the loss or decline in bats include: -

• Reduction in insect prey due to intensification of farming practice.
• Loss and fragmentation of suitable habitats leading to reduced feeding areas and fewer connections between these feeding areas.
• Loss of winter roosts in old trees and buildings

Several basic principles are relevant to the management of habitats for bats including: -

• Avoid fragmentation and isolation of habitats
• Prioritise protection of suitable habitat in the vicinity of bat roosts.
• Avoid loss of suitable habitat
• Minimise the use of pesticides
• Key Habitats
• Linear habitats

Linear habitats such as hedgerows, ditches, treelines and the edges of watercourses like rivers and canals are important foraging places that provide shelter together with an abundance of insects for bats to feed upon. Linear features are also used by bats as commuting routes between different feeding sites. Commuting route features are of prime importance because many species of bat do not like to fly across open areas. Even gaps as small as 10m may prevent bats using hedgerows and tree lines. Linear features found together such as a ditch running along side a hedgerow can be especially rich in insects and of particular value to foraging bats.

Grassland
Grasslands support a wide range of insect prey for foraging bats. Grassland with a history of not being treated with agri-chemicals such as pesticides or dressed with nitrogen based artificial fertilizers often has very diverse plant and animal communities. Such grassland is generally referred to as unimproved grassland and is particularly valuable for all sorts of wildlife including bats.

Permanent pasture grazed by cattle provides dung-associated insects such as dung flies and dung beetles. The latter are of particular importance to greater horseshoe and serotine bats. Persistent cattle wormers like Ivermectin, a compound of Avermectin, may cause a reduction in these insects by remaining active in the dung, killing the insects and so impacting heavily on local bats.

Cockchafers (Maybugs) are also associated with permanent pasture, and are likewise a particular favoured prey item of greater horseshoe and serotine bats during May and June. Studies on captive serotine bats show that they can consume 50 cockchafers each evening and the same number again in the early morning. Greater horseshoes in particular will often carry cockchafers back to a favourite feeding perch where they will consume the edible parts of the insect, leaving a pile of wingcases.

More intensively managed grassland, often referred to as improved grassland, can still be important for bats as it can support large numbers of insects like dung beetles. However although the numbers of insects can be high there is typically a smaller range of species, which could lead to food shortages at certain times of year.

Meadows that are agriculturally unimproved, such as traditionally managed hay meadows, usually have diverse plant communities and hence support a wider variety of insects. Larger moth species are important prey for larger bat species such as greater horseshoe bats.

Grassland with scattered scrub has lots of woodland edge effect with consequent variations in environmental conditions such as temperature. Although transient, this habitat can be particularly rich in invertebrates, and therefore important for foraging bats.

Woodland
Woodland provides bats with a wide diversity of insect food together with shelter and cover, and is often warmer than nearby open habitats. Woodland often affords a variety of habitats created by different management regimes such as glades, rides, coppice and high forest. This in turn can support a wide variety of bats. Some species (such as lesser horseshoe bats) that feed by taking prey directly from the surface of leaves, use the more sheltered areas of tree cover. Others such as Pipistrelles favour woodland edge habitat found in more open areas like rides and along the edge of the woodland itself. Dead trees, especially those still standing, are of great importance to many forms of woodland wildlife. They are of particular value to bats as potential roost sites.

Freshwater
Water and wetlands such as rivers, streams, ponds and ditches provide excellent feeding grounds for bats. Bats need open water to drink and bank side vegetation provides habitats for insect prey and valuable cover whilst feeding. Diverse habitat structure in the vicinity of open water such as variations in vegetation height helps promote abundant insect life. Grassy margins, scrub and overhanging vegetation provide suitable conditions for insects and foraging bats. Many bat species, e.g. Daubenton’s bat, preferentially select roost sites close to water to take advantage of emerging aquatic insects such as midges, gnats and caddis flies. The latter are considered an important source of food for greater horseshoe bats.

Other Habitats

• Orchards and parkland provide additional feeding opportunities for species that feed in semi-open habitats such as woodland edges and glades.
• Arable land can be important to bats, especially where tree lines, hedgerows, ditches and expanded field margins, such as grass margins and conservation headlands, provide foraging grounds.
• Mature single trees can provide important foraging and roosting opportunities if they form part of a connecting framework of hedgerows. Ancient trees in woodlands are of particular importance as roost sites to some species such as Barbastelle bat.
• Farm Buildings, including houses, can be important roost sites for a lot of bat species, especially older structures with good access. Some of the few remaining horseshoe bat maternity roosts are found in such buildings.
• Underground sites such as caves, disused mines, structures such as ice-houses, tunnels, limekilns and cellars are all found on farms. These can provide the stable and protected conditions bats seek during hibernation as well as mating and gathering areas in early and late summer, and as night roosts. Some species form maternity roosts at the entrances to underground sites.

Environmental Stewardship

The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will see big changes for farmers in 2005. The new Single Payment Scheme will transform the way in which they are supported, with far more emphasis being placed on the environment. In addition to this, agri-environment schemes will be made more accessible therefore allowing all farmers to further integrate environmental management into the farm business.

In the past agri-environment schemes have focused on special sites and species and although this has shown real success, it prevented many farmers from entering. The new Environmental Stewardship scheme, which is to be launched in March 2005, will help to overcome this.

The new scheme will be divided into two levels, Entry Level Stewardship & Higher Level Stewardship - the Entry Level scheme will also have an organic element to replace the existing Organic Farming Scheme.

Entry Level Stewardship will be open to all farmers and will reward them with a flat rate payment of £30 per hectare for undertaking simple, yet effective management. Acceptance will be guaranteed as long as the scheme requirements are met, which basically means scoring 30 points per hectare. This is achieved by adopting various management options across the farm, some of which may already be being undertaken (e.g. rotational hedge trimming). There will be a wide range of options to choose from, suited to all types of farming system, thereby giving everyone the opportunity to enter.

Higher Level Stewardship will be targeted to specific habitats and features and will build on the Entry Level scheme by concentrating on more complex types of management where advice and support is needed e.g restoring and managing species rich grassland. In many cases this might involve a change in management but farmers will be remunerated for this with enhanced payments. Details have yet to be released but we think the grassland management payment could be as much as £200 per hectare. Grants will also be available for a wide range of capital projects such as hedge planting. Before applying to join Higher Level Stewardship, applicants will be asked to produce a Farm Environment Plan that identifies all of the farm features and suggested management.

Making the Most of Environmental Stewardship for Bats
Bats feed exclusively on insects and catch the majority of their prey over farmland habitats like permanent pasture, scrub, wetlands and woodland. Features such as tall hedgerows and tree lines are also important for navigation. All of these features can be managed in Environmental Stewardship and including them in an application will help to enhance their value, which in the longer term will help bat populations.

Entry Level Stewardship Options for Bats:

• Hedgerow management – tall hedgerows are used as flight paths providing access routes to foraging grounds. Aim to include as many hedges as practicable under this management option, where possible linking them with foraging habitat (e.g. permanent pasture, woodland).
• Protection of in-field trees – mature trees are used as perches for ‘fly catching’ by greater horseshoe bats and as roosts by other species. Protect them from potentially damaging farming operations.
• Management of woodland edges – manage woodland edge to protect flight paths and provide a structured edge suitable for insects.
• Field corner management – take difficult to manage field corners out of management to provide insect rich feeding habitat.
• Buffer strips – establish buffer strips in arable fields and intensive grassland to provide additional foraging habitat.
• Permanent grassland – permanent pasture is a key foraging habitat. Reduce fertiliser inputs to increase its value.

Higher Level Stewardship Options for Bats:
Many of the above options will also be available in Higher Level Stewardship. Other measures that could be adopted include:

• Hedgerows – plant new hedgerows to create new flight paths and lay those that have a poor structure (always seek advice when laying hedges as this can be detrimental if not planned correctly).
• Woodland – create wide rides and glades in woodland for foraging bats.
• Woodland copses – plant small blocks of trees in field corners to provide additional flight paths and foraging habitat.
• Scrub – manage dense scrub to produce a mosaic of open grassland interspersed with blocks of scrub. Always consider the needs of other species.
• Parkland & traditional orchards – these features can be ideal for foraging bats as they offer both sheltered conditions and high insect numbers. Aim to restore wherever possible.
• Species rich grassland – manage without fertiliser or pesticides to provide high quality foraging habitat.
• Ponds – clear silted ponds and create new ones to enhance wetland foraging habitat.

If you would like to know more about Environmental Stewardship or bat-friendly management please contact one of the Batscapes Field Officers. They can offer free visits to farms and also free Environmental Stewardship applications in targeted areas.

NB: To be able to claim payments through Environmental Stewardship farmers and landowners must ensure that they have a holding number and that all areas of land, including woodland, are mapped on the Rural Land Register. This also applies to the Single Payment Scheme. If you are unsure if your land is registered you need to contact your local Rural Payments Agency office or the Customer Service Centre (0845 601 8045) for a registration pack. The deadline for registering land is 16th May 2005.