Bats benefitting from nest boxes
Our wonderful nest boxes are creating a safe and welcoming environment for Bayside’s native microbats!
Nest boxes and natural hollows play an essential role in allowing our native birds and mammals to nest and breed.
As part of their spring monitoring of nest boxes, ecological consultants from Arcadis Australia found a large colony of Gould’s Wattle Bat inside a nest box at Long Hollow Heathland in Beaumaris.
Representatives from both Friends of Native Wildlife and Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve have been accompanying the Arcadis ecologists and using this opportunity to share respective knowledge regarding nest box designs while learning from each other.
Gould’s Wattle Bats are one of the most common microbat species found in Bayside and are often the first species of microbat to emerge at dusk.
Bats are one of nature’s natural pest controllers, consuming at least half their body weight in insects per night when feeding.
These little bats are around 100mm long and weigh around 15 grams. While the males may roost alone, colonies of females may number up to 30 or more.
Monitoring of the nest boxes and natural hollows will continue over the coming months, with the hope of finding many more of our flying friends enjoying their new homes.
