Bat Survey Season - How To Avoid Development Delays

Bat Survey Season: April - September

The bat survey season began in April and runs until September, during which time bats are dependably active, engaged in foraging and breeding activity. Outside of this period, bats are gearing up for hibernation over the winter and activity surveys are not possible. Hence, to avoid delays to your schedule it’s important to plan for the bat survey season early as part of the planning and development process by getting an ecological consultancy involved early.

Protected species - bats & the law

There are 18 species of bat living in the UK (17 of which are breeding). All are fully protected by law under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is illegal to injure, kill, capture or disturb a bat or to damage, destroy or obstruct trees, buildings or other places used for roosting.

Our fast and effective bat surveys & bat mitigation

Our licensed bat specialists and experienced surveyors will typically conduct an initial assessment to identify the potential for bats to be using a site. Follow-up bat surveys to determine the nature of the use of the site for roosting and/or foraging and commuting bats may also need to be undertaken.

Where there is an identified need for mitigation, either as part of a European Protected Species Mitigation (EPSM) licence or a Precautionary Method of Working, we have highly experienced ecologists at hand to advise and support at all stages. This includes preparing licence applications to Natural England and overseeing and implementing all mitigation works.

Our bat survey and bat mitigation services include

• Year-round internal and external building inspections (preliminary roost assessments) for bats
• Dusk bat emergence and dawn re-entry surveys during bat survey season (roost characterisation surveys - optimal survey period May to August)
• Bat activity transects suring bat survey season (optimal survey period April to September)
• Bat hibernation surveys during the winter months
• Design and implementation of bat mitigation measures
• Preparation and submission of EPSM licences to Natural England
• Bat Low Impact Class Licence (BLICL)

Protected species & bat survey season

If you’d like to find out more about optimum times to schedule your surveys during bat survey season (or other protected species) then our protected species calendar can help. Download the calendar to view important dates and key survey and mitigation information or you can also contact one of our ecologists who would be happy to offer advice.

Download our survey calendar tool

Get ahead with bat surveys and surveys for other protected species with our useful guide to planning ecological surveys and mitigation:

Download Calendar