Bats
Eight of the sixteen species of bat to be found in Britain can be spotted in Cumbria, where roosts are legally protected and an on-going public awareness campaign about the need for bat conservation is conducted by the Cumbria Bat Group, consisting of the Cumberland Bat Group and the Westmorland and Furness Group.
The thrill of spotting a pipistrelle - the most common species in Cumbria - or hearing the bat detector go off to signal the presence of bats in the area, undetected by the human ear, underpins exciting bat walks across the county.
Popular walks are held at locations including Haweswater, Roudsea Wood Reserve, Cartmell Fell Woodland, Dallam Deer Park, RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve and the National Trust's Fell Foot Park and Acorn Bank.
For more information visit www.cumbriabats.org.uk or www.nationaltrust.org.uk for walks at individual National Trust properties.
(Pipestrelle bat copyright Chris Shields rspb-images.com)
Bats can be seen between April and October.
View our sightings page to find local photographs.
Wildlife Now
Wildlife in Cumbria changes through the seasons. Take a look at what you might see this month:
Bats
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