Bat Surveys
EP Ecology provide a comprehensive suite of bat surveys to clients throughout Scotland.
Are you looking for Preliminary Roost Assessment; Emergence and Re-entry Surveys, Mitigation, or Bat Licensing? We can help you with your project.
Bats and their roosts in Scotland are offered full protection from intentional or reckless disturbance, killing, or injury. This is because they are European Protected Species under the Habitats Regulations.
This means, that if a plan or proposal has the potential to affect bats or their roosts, bat surveys are often requested by the Local Planning Authority.
We have 11 species of bat in Scotland and most of these like to roost in tight cavities.
This affects a project because bats often live within cavity walls of buildings, or under tiles and slates on a roof.. Some may live in a loft space or outbuilding, whilst some may roost in damaged trees, for example old woodpecker holes or rotten heartwoods.
If bats are present, then you are legally required to safeguard these during your proposed works, whether by providing new roost space, or retaining the existing space. Our specialist team can advise you of this process.
What bat survey services does EP Ecology offer?
Preliminary Roost Assessment
The first step to successful bat survey is preliminary roost assessment. This daytime survey looks at any structures, trees, or natural features (rock faces) which may be affected by the proposals. During this survey we will look for evidence of bats, or potential features bats can sue to roost. If found, we will collect any bat droppings and can arrange to send these for DNA analysis to confirm the species present.
Our team of bat licensed ecologists in and around Glasgow can visit your site to complete this survey. This package comes with a report suitable for submission to the planning authority and will contain any recommended mitigation or further survey requirements identified, such as emergence or re-entry surveys at dusk and dawn.
Emergence and Re-entry Surveys
Usually the second step of a bat survey is emergence and re-entry surveys, also called dusk and dawn surveys. These surveys can start to get expensive depending on the number of surveyors required, and the number of repeats required.
Our team of specialist bat surveyors position themselves around the affected structures or features at sunset and sunrise to watch for bats coming out of or going in to any of the potential roost features identified. We use ultrasonic sound recorders to identify the species of bats, and experience to determine the type of roost present.
All this information is then compiled in to a report which you can submit to the planning authority, or in support of an application for a licence to disturb or exclude the bats with mitigation and compensation provided.
Bat Mitigation and Licensing
Our team of bat workers can provide you with advice on appropriate mitigation to consider bats within your development proposals, and assist you with any applications for a NatureScot bat development licence to facilitate progression with your project.
Bat Hibernation Survey
A more in-depth survey for hibernating bats, this comprises a combination of using static sound recorders to identify whether bats are flying around during the winter (December – February) and a direct physical inspection with torch and endoscope for bats hibernating within a site.
