A medium-sized bat with a white belly and brown back. Its pinkish limbs give rise to its old name of ‘red-armed bat’. Its broad wings give it an almost hovering flight and it can pluck insects from leaves, spiders from webs and caterpillars from grass.
It emerges late, around 40 minutes after sunset making it easy to overlook. It roosts in old buildings like churches, although farmers have also described finding it between crumpled plastic feed sacks in the rafters of barns.
Action Needed
- Improve the image of bats in Scotland
- Support the creation of linked habitats
- Raise awareness of measures to retain, create and enhance bat roosts during conversions and new build.
- Ensure the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is fully implemented
Threats
Conversion of older buildings (such as barns, churches, stables) without retaining access and roosting sites for this bat. Living at the edge of this range makes this species particularly vulnerable.
MSP Nature Champion
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