I test the Magento Bat4 Detector which, like all Bat Detectors, it converts the ultrasonic bat clicks into sounds that humans can hear. As well as this, I am going to position a Bat Box and install a CCTV camera so that it can be viewed without disturbing the Bats.
This detector is relatively cheap at around £60 and it is hand-held and pretty light. The main features are an LED Torch on the top in between two ultrasonic receptors. These receptors are non-directional and need to be pointed at the bats in order to pick up their chatter. On the base of the unit is a Headphone socket which mutes the Speaker and a low-level audio socket for connecting to a recorder. On the side there is a switch for the LED Torch and a volume slider. Turning on the volume slider illuminates the frequency selector with a green LED that doesn’t destroy your night vision.
In the centre of the unit is the Frequency dial each of the 18 species of Bat in the UK have a different frequency range but if you set the dial to 50Khz you will pick up most Bats with the possible exception of the Serotine bat which has a much lower frequency range.
The UKs most common bat is the Pipistrelle and I found them to be very audible at 55Khz.
I bought the Bat Detector together with a Bat Box and the bat box needs to be fixed high up on a wall or tree out of the reach of predators and it should be placed in a sheltered spot where it can be warmed by the evening sun so an westerly facing wall is perfect. The bats can then warm up a little before they take flight.
I put a tiny CCTV camera into my bat box and connected it up to the home CCTV before placing it so that I can watch their progress without disturbing them. Remember that Bats are protected and it is an offence to disturb them and once the bat box has been positioned, you must leave it alone - especially once Bats have started roosting in it so put some thought into the position beforehand. When considering the position of a Bat Box, bear in mind that Bats will poop out of the box and whilst there is no risk to humans - you may not want to position it over a conservatory for instance.
As Bats are most visible at twilight, when the sky still has a bit of light in it - spotting bat silhouettes at this time of night will prepare you for which direction to point the detector.
Bats emerge from Hibernation in the UK in early spring looking for food and they give birth to a single pup. They will be active from early spring through to early winter and in late summer the young bats will be on the wing catching their own insects and an interesting time to use the detector is in early winter when the Males use special mating calls to attract females. It is also at around this time that the young bats are looking for their own roosting spots for hibernation so if you have put up a bat box - this is when you would expect to see it being used for the first time.
Bat boxes may need to “age” for a while before Bats consider them for roosting so don’t be put off if they don’t get used in the first year or two.
I took my Bat Detector to Snowdonia in June and we were lucky enough to have a warm period with masses of insects and as you can hear the local Pipistrelles put on quite a display for me and the kids, flying right up to us and making quite a bit of noise.
The Magenta bat detector is great fun for the kids and nature lovers alike - the Bat4 detector is relatively inexpensive and easy to use so if you are a nature lover, get one and pop it in your rucksack - you may not realise exactly how many bats there are where you live.
Негізгі бет Magenta Bat4 Bat Detector, Bat Sounds and Bat Box installation
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