Free bat walks hosted by local volunteer

Free bat walks will be held over two evenings this month, to help people learn about bats and support local wildlife.

The walks are being led by local resident Robert Dickenson, a volunteer at Conigre Mead Nature Reserve, on Saturday 9th May at 8.30pm and Friday 15th May at 8.45pm starting from the Market Place.

The 30-minute walks will take in the Campus, Conigre Mead Nature Reserve and the riverside, finishing at the town bridge. A digital bat detector will be used during the walks.

Robert said bats are “silent, agile and incredibly valuable” and play an important role in controlling insect populations.

In Melksham, species likely to be seen include common pipistrelles, Daubenton’s bats and brown long-eared bats.

Robert said town life is ideal for bats because it offers a mix of habitats. He said, “They roost in old house roofs, behind hanging tiles, in stone walls and in hollow trees. In summer, females form maternity roosts and raise their single pup.”

All bats and their roosts are legally protected. Robert said, “We can encourage them by turning down lights. Bright night-time lighting can stop bats leaving their roosts. Planting aromatic flowers such as lavender, evening primrose and honeysuckle attracts moths. Building a pond also helps, as water attracts insects that are a ‘bat banquet’.”