4Bs Nocturnal Moth & Bat Watch

One in a while something suddenly clicks. The idea of an evening Moth and Bat watch grew out of two things. 1) because these creatures are active when most people can't see them they get overlooked 2) the nocturnal foraging and pollinating activities of moths are closely related to the nocturnal activities of bats that feed on them

North Betchworth provides an ideal location for observing this relationship. North Betchworth is formed by the Chalk and Upper Greensand hills of the North Downs and underlying Gault Clay. The area contains a good range of habitats for wildlife including grasslands, woodland and a pond that all support a diverse population of flying insects that provide food for a range of bat species (Figure 1). 

Figure 1 Habitats for wildlife in North Betchworth. The red area is the location of moth & bat watch.

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So the final activity of our summer programme was an outdoor event led by professional ecologist and bat survey specialist Josh Brown who introduced a small group of interested residents to moth trapping before showing us how useful bat detectors can be in identifying fast flying bats. A flavour of the bat teatre can be gained from this short movie.
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Norman Jackson is the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative Team Leader