It might just be a coincidence, or it might be the lure of Halloween, but a redundant pump building near Longham Lakes has some very special new lodgers. The decommissioned pump house, owned by Bournemouth Water, has been given a major makeover and turned into a hibernation haven or 'hibernaculum' as it's formally known. It’s a special sanctuary, complete with bat tiles, built-in bat boxes, baffles and even a dormer ‘fly-in’ entrance.
It’s obviously a huge hit with the local bat population because the first tenants have already made themselves at home.
Paul McNie, Bournemouth Water's Sampling and Environmental Manager, said: “I was delighted when I saw a bat fly out of one of the wall boxes just after sunset on 21 October. Using a bat detector, I was able to confirm it was a Soprano Pipistrelle bat, one of the most common but smallest, weighing in at only 3-8 grams with a wingspan of 19 to 23 centimetres.
Given the renovation was only completed in April, Paul says it’s amazing that the bats have already started moving in inside the first active season.
“We like to think of this as a kind of bat house renovation project,” added Paul. “The old building was no longer serving its original purpose and was deteriorating, making it unsafe, so we’ve re-imagined it as a safe space for wildlife. It’s a brilliant idea, but with a very serious message. Bats and their roosts must be protected, and we all have a role to play in supporting biodiversity and conservation.”
Pipistrelle bats are so small that they can easily rest on the end of your thumb! Despite their small size they are voracious hunters and can consume up to 3,000 small flies, midges and mosquitos in a single night.
Looking for your next roost?
The bat roost has been designed with both summer and winter use in mind, offering cool underground chambers for hibernation as well as warmer loft spaces and boxes for maternity colonies. The design includes:
- Bat tiles – modified roofing tiles to create crevice spaces for dwelling areas under the tiles
- Integrated bat boxes – cavity wall bat boxes within the new gable ends
- Dormer – a special feature to allow horseshoe bats to swoop in and out
- Eco credentials – built with sustainability in mind and designed to Natural England standards
News of the new bat roost is expected to cause a ‘flutter’. During recent surveys, high levels of bat activity were recorded in the area, including pipistrelles, noctules and Myotis species.
While bats don’t “announce” a new roost the way a bird might call others to food, many species share information through sound, behaviour and memory, allowing them to find and occupy new safe havens quickly.
Studies involving radio tracking in the UK show that when a few individuals move to a new roost, others follow within hours or days, implying acoustic or social guidance rather than chance discovery.
That means the new roost could soon provide an important home for more of the discerning creatures.
“There are 18 species of bat in the UK and 17 of those are known to breed here, with Dorset being a particular hot spot,” added Paul. “We know the bats are here in this area, especially the common and soprano pipistrelles, Nathusius pipistrelle, noctule, and Myotis species. This is one very special Halloween for me and the rest of the team involved in the project.”
Why it matters
All UK bats are protected species and are key biodiversity indicators. They play a vital role in controlling insect populations and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Creating new safe roosts is one way water companies contribute to enhancing biodiversity.
*Video footage of the bat inside the roost is available as well as internal footage.